Hurricanes Are Powerful

You probably know a hurricane is a large, powerful storm that can cause a lot of rain and wind. Everyone pays attention to hurricanes because they can be dangerous. Some hurricanes come and go and really don't cause much more trouble than a bad thunderstorm. Others may damage homes and cause some flooding that goes away on its own.

You might remember that Hurricane Katrina was unusually strong and caused many more problems than most hurricanes.

Could It Happen to Me?

You might wonder if a big hurricane could happen where you live. Hurricanes are always a concern, especially for people who live near a coast. When a hurricane is on the way, weather forecasters can predict which areas will be affected. Based on that, cities and states can tell people to evacuate — to move out of the storm's way until it's over.

Knowing that a hurricane is coming can be helpful, even if you won't be evacuating. Your family will want to have extra water, food, and batteries for flashlights. Why? Because storms can knock down trees and that can knock down power lines. Fixing the power so everyone has electricity again can take a while after a hurricane.

A Hurricane Is a "Natural Disaster"

Maybe you've heard people call a hurricane a "natural disaster," but what does that mean? A natural disaster is when weather or nature causes big problems, like a hurricane, a tornado, an earthquake, or a tsunami. Depending on where a person lives, there's more risk of certain kinds of natural disasters.

But wherever you live, it's important to remember that there are lots of people looking out for you. In a bad storm or other crisis, this would include not only moms and dads, but also police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, and other people who are trained to handle emergencies.

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: August 2011