Methodist College Newspaper
WWW.smalltalkmc.com
Fayetteville, NC
Established 1961
Volume 44, Issue 2
Hurricane Season
United Way
unites students
continues to bash the US f
MALIA KALUA
Editor-in-Chief
You might think the weather-
forcasters are putting together a Ust
of names for a party. But Bonnie,
Charley, Frances, Gaston and Ivan
are not part of the guest list this
hurricane season. They are deadly,
vicious, cruel and destructive hur
ricanes that leave devastation in
their wake.
This Hurricane Season
has been riddled with multiple
ferocious storms. Southeastern
airports had serious delays all last
week. With the onset and strange
movement of Hurricane Ivan, the
NFL season opener of the Miami
Dolphins vs. the Tennessee Titans
was moved from September 13 to
the friday before.
Being informed is impor
tant. Understanding how hurri
canes work keeps the people who
may be effected by them safer.
Here is a quick lesson to keep stu
dents at Methodist better informed
in case a hurricane arrives here on
our campus.
What is a hurricane?
Hurricanes are the atmo
sphere’s natural way of moving
excessive heat to cooler areas of
the globe. The name “hurricane” is
from the West Indian word mean
ing “big wind”.
Formed over warm tropi-
Photo courtesy of WRAL.com
Hurricane Bonnie made landfall in Florida and tore up the state from one side to
the other. The residents of Florida didn’t even have the chance to get over Bonnie
before Charley hit and then Ivan attacked the Florida Panhandle.
cal waters as disorganized storms,
hurricanes are part of a weather
system called “tropical cyclones”.
As the storm becomes more orga
nized it progresses to a “tropical
depression” and once it reaches
40 m.p.h. it becomes a “tropical
storm”. If the winds increase to 75
m.p.h,. or above, the storm earns a
name from the National Hurricane
Center and again is reclassified as
a hurricane.
The winds of hur
ricanes circle around a central
area called an “eye”. This is the
part of the storm which is calm
and cloudless. The remainder of
the storm wraps around the eye in
a counter-clockwise motion. The
“eye wall,” which is formed by
Photos by Will Montoya
Melanie Gibson and Amanda Hall
collect cans in the Berns Student
Center
WILL MONTOYA
Staff Writer
this wrapping motion, is the most
destructive part of the storm.
What are the most dangerous
hurricanes?
Hurricanes are rated
in intensity on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Scale. This scale rates
hurricanes by their wind speed,
barometric pressure, stonn surge
height, and damage potential. Of
course Category 5 hurricanes are
the most deadly. More than likely
with a Category 5 hurricane we
will have catastrophic damage to
property, flooding, landscape dam
age and probable loss of life.
But there is more
to consider than the wind strength
when deciding if a hurricane is
cont. on page 3 See HURRICANES
Methodist College students
played a major role in Cumberland
County’s Extreme Makeover/Day
of Caring 2004 on September 15.
The event, which was sponsored by
United Way, focused on meeting the
community’s basic needs by offering
various volunteer projects throughout
Cumberland County.
Methodist College participated in
the events by collecting non-perishable
food items, and two students got the
opportunity to assist in the Scouting
Jamboree. The food items collected
will be distributed among churches
and individuals as necessary. “1 love
taking part in helping the community
whenever 1 can” said Melanie Gibson,
one of the student volunteers.
Other volunteer efforts in
cluded a home restoration project,
food drive, park renovations, and a
blood-drive. A Scouting Jamboree
even provided disabled school children
the opportunity to participate in Girl
and Boy Scout activities at Seabrook
Park.