weather system characterized by central low pressure compared to the surrounding air mass. Circulation is counter-clockwise

Are hurricanes random events in time, or are there: a) seasonal factors that control their occurrence and b) long-term factors that govern their frequency?

There are both seasonal factors that control their occurrence and long-term factors that govern their frequency

Name two locations in the USA more likely to experience a hurricane than other places.

1)   Florida (Florida Keys)

2)   Louisiana (Morgan City)

How does the orientation of the coastline with respect to the hurricane track influence storm damage?

The path of the storm determines the landfall of a hurricane and areas along the coast of greatest storm impact. In the northern hemisphere, when a hurricane moves onshore, areas to the right of its landfall will experience the strongest winds and greatest storm damage

Ranking of tropical and extratropical storms each involves 5 categories of storm intensity; what different properties of storms do the different scales evaluate?

What is it about the “right quadrant” of a hurricane that makes it the most dangerous area?

The winds are (typically) strongest, storm surge is highest, and the possibility of tornadoes is greatest. It is important to know whether or not your area will be affected by the right-front quadrant. It could mean the difference between maximum hurricane conditions or a glancing blow

Why do storm waves erode a beach more than summer swells?

How do beaches and dunes interact during storms?

Storms not only arrive with higher waves, but also with a storm surge that lifts the water level. During high tide the waves attack the beach above its normal level. The foredune is carved out and its sand creates a new beach at the level of attack. Sometimes lower down a bank is formed, which helps to break the waves. The storm brings new sand but borrows sand from the dunes.

Inlets are often carved from a surge of water flowing from behind the barrier towards the ocean. The oceanward flow of water from the back barrier region is often aided by offshore winds. During a storm surge large volumes of water are forced into the back barrier region by overtopping waves, over wash, and inlet flow. As the storm recedes only the inlet provides access for the escaping flow. If the level of water in behind the barrier is high relative to the ocean side the inlet may be insufficient to provide drainage and the water will flow seaward through a weak point in the island creating a new inlet. Weak points that become sites of inlet formation occur where the barrier has been thinned and/or where foreshore wave activity has breached the foredune ridge and created washovers.

What are the components of storm surge?

Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tides. This rise in water level can cause extreme flooding in coastal areas particularly when storm surge coincides with normal high tide, resulting in storm tides reaching up to 20 feet or more in some cases.