Studying Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and Thunderstorms

With Ohio in the midst of tornado season and with hurricane season coming up soon, there are plenty of opportunities to bring current weather events into the classroom.

Hurricanes (official Atlantic season is June 1-November 30)

• The first stop for US hurricane information is the National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center, which follows tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic and Pacific. Note the links for maps for students to track hurricane progress.
• Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science, and Reading suggests several hurricane-related lessons and resources, including two lessons from the AAAS’s Science NetLinks collection (The Science of Hurricanes and Tracking Hurricanes)

Tornadoes

• A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website provides information for students about tornado science and safety.

Other Severe Weather

• The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center shows severe weather advisories around the nation.
• NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory provides scientific information about the forecasting of severe weather. The ORC suggests the NSSL’s Severe Weather Primer.