[Carolyn (OP)]

Can anyone tell me the worst side to be on and why?

I've always been told that the east side is the worst side to be on. Historically, or as best as I can remember, anytime a hurricane has hit to the west of us, we've been pounded by severe weather including storm surge and tornadoes, but if it hits to the east of us, we don't get the severe weather.

[paul.fr]

Carolyn,

your best bet is to monitor the NHC and their website:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

You can or should be able to sign up for mobile/cell phone and text alerts to impending severe weather. To answer your question, have a read of these links:

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqHED.html
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/C6.html
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/D6.html

 Why are the strongest winds in a hurricane typically on the right side of the storm?
wind additive
Contributed by Chris Landsea

First, the "right side of the storm" is defined with respect to the storm's motion: if the hurricane is moving to the west, the right side would be to the north of the storm; if the hurricane is moving to the north, the right side would be to the east of the storm, etc.

In general, the strongest winds in a hurricane are found on the right side of the storm because the motion of the hurricane also contributes to its swirling winds. A hurricane with a 90 mph [145 km/hr] winds while stationary would have winds up to 100 mph [160 km/hr] on the right side and only 80 mph [130 km/hr] on the left side if it began moving (any direction) at 10 mph [16 km/hr].

Note that the U.S. OAR and other forecasting center advisories already take this asymmetry into account and, in this case, would state that the highest winds were 100 mph [160 km/hr].
wind additive

For tropical cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere, these differences are reversed: the strongest winds are on the left side of the storm. This is because the winds swirl clockwise south of the equator in tropical cyclones.

Hurricane Research Division

Back to Tropical Cyclones Myths Page | Back to Main FAQ Page

Subject: C6) During a hurricane are you supposed to have the windows and doors on the storm side closed and the windows and doors on the lee side open?

Contributed by Chris Landsea

No! All of the doors and windows should be closed (and shuttered) throughout the duration of the hurricane. The pressure differences between inside your house and outside in the storm do not build up enough to cause any damaging explosions. (No house is built airtight.)
The winds in a hurricane are highly turbulent and an open window or door - even if in the lee side of the house - can be an open target to flying debris. All exterior windows should be boarded up with either wooden or metal shutters.

[Carolyn (OP)]

That explained it very well.  Thanks for the info Paul.

[paul.fr]

I can't find where you can sign up for free mobile text alerts, it could well be a local weather office product, but you can sign up for email alerts and advisories

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/signup.shtml

[Make it Lady]

The windy side obviously!

[Carolyn (OP)]

I can't find where you can sign up for free mobile text alerts, it could well be a local weather office product, but you can sign up for email alerts and advisories

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/signup.shtml

Thanks Paul.  I know there's  place where you can get the free texts alerts somewhere.  I'll search around some more. 

LOL...I was in Tallahassee today and I did get 3 text alerts from friends saying we were under a tropical storm & a flood watch.

[Carolyn (OP)]

The windy side obviously!

*smacks forehead*  Why didn't I think of that? []

[paul.fr]

Coastal Watches/Warnings and 3-Day Track Forecast Cone


091750W_sm.gif (27.54 kB . 895x716 - viewed 105717 times)

About this product:
This graphic shows an approximate representation of coastal areas under a hurricane warning (red), hurricane watch (pink), tropical storm warning (blue) and tropical storm watch (yellow). The orange circle indicates the current position of the center of the tropical cyclone. The black line and dots show the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast track of the center at the times indicated. The dot indicating the forecast center location will be black if the cyclone is forecast to be tropical and will be white with a black outline if the cyclone is forecast to be extratropical. If only an L is displayed, then the system is forecast to be a remnant low. The letter inside the dot indicates the NHC's forecast intensity for that time.

NHC forecast tracks of the center can be in error; track forecast errors in recent years were used to construct the areas of uncertainty for the first 3 days (solid white area) and for days 4 and 5 (white stippled area). These areas of uncertainty are formed by enclosing the area swept out by a set of circles (not shown) along the forecast track (at 12, 24, 36 hours, etc). The size of each circle is set so that two-thirds of historical official forecast errors over a 5-year sample fall within the circle. The historical data indicate the entire 5-day path of the center of the tropical cyclone will remain within the outer uncertainty area about 60-70% of the time. There is also uncertainty in the NHC intensity forecasts. The Maximum 1-minute Wind Speed Probability Table provides intensity forecast and uncertainty information.
It is also important to realize that a tropical cyclone is not a point. Their effects can span many hundreds of miles from the center. The area experiencing hurricane force (one-minute average wind speeds of at least 74 mph) and tropical storm force (one-minute average wind speeds of 39-73 mph) winds can extend well beyond the white areas shown enclosing the most likely track area of the center. The distribution of hurricane and tropical storm force winds in this tropical cyclone can be seen in the Wind History graphic linked above.
Considering the combined forecast uncertainties in track, intensity, and size, the chances that any particular location will experience winds of 34 kt (tropical storm force), 50 kt, or 64 kt (hurricane force) from this tropical cyclone are presented in tabular form for selected locations and forecast positions. This information is also presented in graphical form for the 34 kt, 50 kt, and 64 kt thresholds.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at2+shtml/143912.shtml?3day?large#contents

[paul.fr]

Hurricane GUSTAV Public Advisory
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000
WTNT32 KNHC 311140
TCPAT2
BULLETIN
HURRICANE GUSTAV INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  27A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL072008
700 AM CDT SUN AUG 31 2008

...GUSTAV MOVING QUICKLY NORTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE NORTHERN GULF
COAST...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST
FROM CAMERON LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER...
INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.  A
HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE
ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER TO THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER....AND FROM WEST OF
CAMERON LOUISIANA TO JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS.  A TROPICAL
STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEST OF CAMERON LOUISIANA
TO JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS.   A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT
HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY
WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER FLORIDA
KEYS WEST OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO THE DRY TORTUGAS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 700 AM CDT...1200Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GUSTAV WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 24.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.5 WEST OR ABOUT 375 MILES...
605 KM...SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 16 MPH...26 KM/HR...AND
THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WITH
SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED EXPECTED ON MONDAY.  ON THIS TRACK...
GUSTAV WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO TODAY...AND
MAKE LANDFALL ON THE NORTHERN GULF COAST ON MONDAY.

REPORTS FROM AIR FORCE RESERVE AND NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT
INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 120
MPH...195 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  GUSTAV IS A CATEGORY THREE
HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  SOME RESTRENGTHENING IS
FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND GUSTAV COULD REGAIN
CATEGORY FOUR STRENGTH LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT. FLUCTUATIONS IN
STRENGTH ARE LIKELY...BUT GUSTAV IS FORECAST TO REMAIN A MAJOR
HURRICANE UNTIL LANDFALL.

GUSTAV IS A LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND
OUTWARD UP TO 50 MILES...85 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES...325 KM.  THE NOAA
AUTOMATED STATION AT PULASKI SHOAL LIGHT FLORIDA RECENTLY REPORTED
2-MINUTE AVERAGE WINDS OF 51 MPH...81 KM/HR...WITH A GUST OF
60 MPH...96 KM/HR.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE AIR FORCE
HURRICANE HUNTER IS 960 MB...28.35 INCHES.

AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM SURGE OF 18 TO 25 FEET ABOVE NORMAL
TIDAL LEVELS IS EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER
OF GUSTAV CROSSES THE NORTHERN GULF COAST.   A STORM SURGE OF 1 TO
3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS POSSIBLE IN THE DRY TORTUGAS AS
GUSTAV PASSES TO ITS WEST.

GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO
12 INCHES OVER PORTION OF LOUISIANA...SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI AND
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 20
INCHES POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING.   ADDITIONAL RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF ABOUT AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE OVER FLORIDA KEYS AND
SOUTH FLORIDA.

ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE CENTRAL GULF COAST LATER
TODAY.

REPEATING THE 700 AM CDT POSITION...24.7 N...85.5 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 16 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...960 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER AT 1000 AM CDT.

$$
FORECASTER BEVEN

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT2+shtml/311140.shtml?

[Bass]

Inside the hurricane

[chris]

Inside the hurricane

Not necessarily; if you are in the eye then it's peaceful and quiet...at least for a while...

[alancalverd]

Cyclone winds blow clockwise in the northern hemisphere, so as a depression passes overhead the wind direction can change through  360°.  At some point the wind will have had the longest fetch over the sea, and thus be loaded with the largest amount of water, which will cause the most damage.

But it is possible for the hurricane to disperse as it approaches land, so it may be that the last episode to make landfall actually has the lowest wind speed.

In other words, it all depends on the nature and track of the individual beast.