Hurricanes 1
Hurricanes 1 :
These are particularly powerful tropical storms, typified by high-speed wind velocities of up to 120 km/h and capable of causing loss of lives, widespread damage on land, and even pose a serious threat to shipping. Hurricanes are common in the southeastern states of the US between July and October, as the hurricanes originate in the 5 - 10 N and S latitude bands over warm, tropical ocean waters. The damage these storms cause is not limited to destructive high-speed winds that cause structural damage, but also includes the effects of a large amount of rain falling in a very short period of time. The damage inflicted by a series of hurricanes takes a long time to recover from and the costs are enormous. The 1998 US hurricane season cost American taxpayers over $450 million. (See article: "Extreme weather conditions")
