Ocean Water: Miscellaneous Info

1. Ocean Water: Miscellaneous Info

2. Shoreline Features • Barrier Islands are narrow sandbars that are parallel to, but separate from the coast • About 300 barrier islands along US coast • Islands are about 10-100 miles off coast • Ex: Outer Banks of North Carolina • Ex: Cape Cod, Massachusetts • Padre Island, Texas

4. Between the mainland and barrier islands you would find estuaries, bays, and lagoons • Estuaries are partially enclosed bodies of water where salt water mixes with freshwater • Lagoons are shallow, salty bodies of water • Note: all of these areas are excellent breeding grounds for many animals since they are salty but protected from harsh waves/currents due to barrier islands

5. Now, let’s talk HURRICANES

6. Hurricanes are whirling tropical cyclones (low pressure/rotate counterclockwise) In other parts of the world, these storms are called typhoons, cyclones, and tropical cyclones

7. Someone, please remind me…WHY? • Hurricanes that hit the east coast originate in the equatorial waters near Africa

8. Saffir-Simpson Scale is used to measure a hurricane’s intensity

9. Lifecycle of a Hurricane • Tropical Depression – wind speeds less or equal to 38 mph • Tropical Storms – wind speeds 39-73 mph • Hurricane – wind speeds greater than 74 mph

10. Once they reach Tropical Storm status, cyclones are named Hurricane Katrina Storm Surge

11. Ocean Structure