Test your knowledge of hurricanes with this quiz devised by Jay Barnes, hurricane historian. Each month during hurricane season, we will randomly draw a name from all entrants. Each winner will receive a free copy of one of Jay Barnes's books: North Carolina's Hurricane History Third Edition or Florida's Hurricane History—your choice! Winners will be notified by email.


1. Hurricane Hazel made landfall on the North Carolina coast during what month?

August
September
October
November

2. In the northern hemisphere, hurricane winds rotate counterclockwise.

True
False

3. Though this hurricane never struck the United States, it reached category five strength and killed thousands in Nicaragua and Honduras in 1998, making it the deadliest hurricane of the twentieth century in the Western Hemisphere.

Frederic
Felix
Allen
Mitch

4. Hurricane intensity is determined by measurements of atmospheric pressure. This pressure is measured with what instrument?

Hydrometer
Barometer
Anemometer
Seismograph

5. This hurricane was responsible for the postponement of a scheduled Jacksonville, Florida appearance of the Beatles:

Donna, 1960
Cleo, 1964
Dora, 1964
Betsy, 1965


6. Although the Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June through November, the peak month for activity is:

July
August
September
October

7. With a total cost estimated at $6 billion, Hurricane Floyd was the most expensive hurricane in N.C. history, surpassing this previous record storm:

Hugo
Hazel
Donna
Fran

8. Satellite imagery was a new and beneficial tool for hurricane forecasters during the 1950's.

True
False

9. By definition, a tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its sustained winds reach:

39 mph
55 mph
74 mph
100 mph

10. Most of the 52 deaths that occurred as a result of Floyd were:

drownings along the coast
deaths resulting from fallen trees
drownings in inland counties
mishaps during storm cleanup

11. This hurricane is still the most expensive in U.S. history (as measured in actual dollars).

Andrew, 1992
Donna, 1960
Camille, 1969
Opal, 1995

12. This government agency is the parent organization for the Tropical Prediction Center/National Hurricane Center:

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration)
National Climatic Data Center
United States Department of Defense

13. This renowned forecaster is known for his annual predictions of tropical storm and hurricane activity for the Atlantic basin.

Neil Frank
Max Mayfield
William Gray
John Hope

14. Which of the following types of damage is not covered by most standard homeowners' insurance policies?

Falling trees
Lightning
Fire
Flooding

15. North Carolina now ranks third in the U.S. in the number of hurricane landfalls--after these two states:

Texas and Louisiana
Florida and Texas
Florida and Louisiana
Florida and South Carolina




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