Betsy

558 Words2 Pages

INTRODUCTION
On August 27, 1965, a weather satellite detected a weak tropical disturbance, which was named Betsy, near the Barbados. However, by August 29th the “disturbance” had grown into a hurricane. Betsy not only became one of the most dangerous, but also one of the most expensive storms in the history of the United States. In fact, Time Magazine has rated Hurricane Betsy number 11 in its “Most Destructive U.S. Hurricanes of All Time.” Moreover, this famous hurricane gained the nickname “Billion Dollar Betsy” because it was the first tropical storm to have caused more than $1 billion dollars in damage.
Hurricane Betsy developed east of the Windward Islands. This means that Betsy occurred in the Atlantic Basin, which includes the North Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Many hurricanes form in this area since it is near the equator and warm water, which is a requirement to form a hurricane is always available. In fact, hurricanes or tropical cyclones can only form if they meet four conditions. First, the temperature of ocean waters must be 82 degrees F or warmer in order. Moreover, low air pressure is needed. Furthermore, you need tropical winds located near the equator. Lastly, you need moist ocean air. The most important part is the warm air since it serves as energy for the storm. The air then rises into the low pressure are and cold air replaces it; this is what then produces what is called a disturbance, which is an area of heavy rainfall, thunder clouds and powerful winds. From here a hurricane can only get stronger and its wind speed is measured and depending on how powerful the storm is it is then assigned into one of five categories.
EVENT
Hurricane Betsy occurred from August 27 to September ...

... middle of paper ...

... voyage early and prevent another disaster.

Works Cited
"1965: Hurricane Betsy Smashes Ashore near New Orleans." NOLA.com. N.p., 8 Dec. 2011. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Gardiner, Lisa. "How Hurricanes Form." - Windows to the Universe. N.p., 13 Mar. 2009. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
"How Do Hurricanes Form?" :: NASA's The Space Place. NASA, n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
"Hurricane Betsy - September 6-13, 1965." Hurricane Betsy - September 6-13, 1965. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
"HURRICANE BETSY 1965." HURRICANE BETSY 1965. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
"Hurricanes: Science and Society: 1965- Hurricane Betsy." Hurricanes: Science and Society: 1965- Hurricane Betsy. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Williams, Jack. "Hurricane Betsy Hits Florida & New Orleans in 1965." USATODAY.com - Answers: Hurricane Betsy Hit Florida, Smashed New Orleans in 1965. USA Today, 21 Oct. 2003. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.

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