My Compare and Contrast Essay

Hurricanes and Blizzard Compare and Contrast

By Lucas Van Eps

Hurricanes and blizzards are natural disasters that cost many people their lives and create a lot of destruction.  Both have very high winds and blow things around which is what makes them very dangerous.  Both things can be very devastating but a hurricane is much, much worse.  

A blizzard is a very intense winter storm that has very high winds and extremely low temperatures.  To be categorized as a blizzard and not just a snow storm the winds have to exceed thirty-five miles per hour, and have blowing snow that frequently drifts over.  During a blizzard there is just about zero visibility.  Blizzards dump lots of snow on an area and can prevent people from moving around because the snow is so deep.  When it snows in the mountains it can cause avalanches and slippery roads everywhere which can be dangerous.  The biggest danger though is probably the extreme cold that people can be exposed to.  Some times even minutes with flesh exposed to the cold can cause frostbite.  Blizzards can be very dangerous in some cases and people need to be aware of their dangers. 

A hurricane is a severe tropical storm that is characterized as a low pressure center that produce strong winds and heavy rain.  To be considered as a hurricane and not just a tropical storm the winds must exceed 74 miles per hour.  Hurricanes usually only form during the summer months, not in the winter.  While hurricanes produce powerful winds they also produce very strong waves and powerful flooding.  They develop over large bodies of warm water, and lose strength as they move over land.  They can cause extensive coastal flooding up to twenty five miles from the coast line.  The center of the hurricane is the most intense part of the storm, they can be as big as 230 miles across and can reach wind speeds over 160 mph.  These strong winds can destroy vehicles, buildings, and other outside objects.  The actual flooding is what causes the most deaths.  The flooding can also cause mudslides that happen after the rain loosens up the land.  Over the past two centuries, hurricanes have been responsible for the deaths of about 1.9 million people over the world.  Even though hurricanes are extremely destructive they are an important part of rainfall patterns.

As different as these two storms are there are some similarities between the two.  Both of these storms take lives of hundreds of each people every year.  They each are known for their extremely high winds and how they blow precipitation around.  Each precipitates a lot and can slow things down and cause people to not even move.  They are both severe storms that people are aware of.

The hurricane and the blizzard are alike and different in many different ways.  The hurricane is a lot more intense and causes a lot more damage.  The blizzard is a weaker storm, but can last for weeks and can snow people in, which doesn't allow them to move for long periods of time.  All in all, hurricanes are a lot more damaging and fierce, but both storms are bad and can cause a lot of damage.