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 Historyyour choice! Winners
will be notified by email.
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: