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What Are Hurricanes — Reading Comprehension

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NGSS 4-ESS3-2

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This Grade 4 science reading passage introduces students to hurricanes and their impact on coastal communities, aligned with NGSS standard 4-ESS3-2. Students learn that hurricanes are massive rotating storms forming over warm ocean water, spanning hundreds of miles with dangerous winds and heavy rain. The passage explains the hurricane's structure, including the calm eye surrounded by the strongest winds. Students discover how storm surge—a wall of ocean water pushed onto shore—creates flooding dangers when hurricanes reach land. The content emphasizes how hurricanes affect coastal areas and why people evacuate to safety. Audio-integrated features support diverse learners as they explore these powerful natural hazards. The passage builds foundational understanding of severe weather patterns and human responses to natural disasters, preparing students for hands-on investigations and discussions about weather safety and community preparedness in coastal regions.

CONTENT PREVIEW

"A breathtaking satellite image capturing a swirling hurricane over the Earth's ocean." by Pixabay / Pexels.

A hurricane is a massive rotating storm that forms over warm ocean water. Hurricanes are important to understand because they can cause serious damage to coastal communities and put people's lives at risk.

Hurricanes can grow to be hundreds of miles wide. They bring three main dangers: powerful winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding. The winds in a hurricane can blow faster than cars drive on highways. These strong winds can knock down trees, damage buildings, and send objects flying through the air.

Every hurricane has a special part called the eye. The eye is the center of the hurricane where the weather is surprisingly calm. However, the area surrounding the eye has the strongest and most dangerous winds. Think of it like the calm center of a spinning top—everything around it moves fast, but the middle stays still.

When a hurricane moves from the ocean onto land, it brings a dangerous phenomenon called storm surge. Storm surge is a wall of ocean water that gets pushed onto the shore by the hurricane's powerful winds. This wall of water can flood streets, homes, and entire neighborhoods. Combined with heavy rain that can last for hours or even days, hurricanes create severe flooding in coastal areas—the regions near the ocean where land meets water.

Because hurricanes are so dangerous, weather scientists track them carefully. When a hurricane approaches land, people who live in coastal areas often evacuate, which means they leave their homes and travel to safer locations inland until the storm passes.

Interesting Fact: The eye of a hurricane can be 20 to 40 miles wide, and if you were standing in it, you might see blue sky and sunshine above while the most powerful part of the storm surrounds you!

Where do hurricanes form?

Over cold ocean waterOver warm ocean waterOver mountainsOver desert land

What is the eye of a hurricane?

The area with strongest windsThe calm center of the stormThe edge of the hurricaneThe rainiest part of the storm

How wide can hurricanes grow?

A few feet wideAbout one mile wideHundreds of miles wideOnly ten miles wide

Why do hurricanes cause flooding in coastal areas?

Only from heavy rainFrom storm surge and heavy rainFrom melting iceFrom broken water pipes

What happens when people evacuate?

They stay inside their homesThey watch the storm outsideThey leave and go to safer placesThey build stronger houses

Which part of a hurricane is most dangerous?

The eye in the centerThe area surrounding the eyeThe outer edge far from centerThe top of the hurricane