How Hispaniola protects the U.S. from hurricanes

AccuWeather

AccuWeather's Bernie Rayno explains how Hispaniola and Cuba protect the United States from hurricanes and tropical storms. The islands' rugged and mountainous terrain contribute to weakening storms.

Transcript

00:00In today's Weather Why, we're going to be talking about how Hispaniola and Cuba protect

00:11Florida from tropical storms and hurricanes.

00:15In fact, those islands act as a barrier oftentimes when we see tropical storms, even tropical

00:23waves as well.

00:25Once they approach Hispaniola and Cuba, oftentimes while they may be strong when they enter that

00:31area, they are much weaker as they exit.

00:35It acts almost like a barrier.

00:37Why does that happen, especially with Hispaniola?

00:40Well, Hispaniola is a very rugged island.

00:45In fact, the Cordillera Central, which is in the central and eastern part of the island

00:50and covers most of Hispaniola, has one of the highest peaks in the world.

00:55The 16th highest peak, over 10,000, that's Duarte Peak, is within the Cordillera Central.

01:02Those mountain ranges severely disrupt tropical storms, hurricanes, and tropical waves.

01:09It disrupts the circulation.

01:11Now, the track is important as well because the farther north track, you have less interaction.

01:17Meanwhile, if you do have a track coming over or south of Hispaniola, oftentimes those

01:23tropical storms, they almost always, tropical storms and hurricanes will weaken.

01:27Now, a tropical wave or even a tropical rainstorm can also weaken as well.

01:32But if that system goes north of Hispaniola, that's a totally separate track that would

01:38tend to strengthen.

01:39But again, it is Hispaniola and Cuba.

01:42Because of the terrain and the interaction these tropical systems has with those landmasses,

01:47they tend to be much weaker as they leave that area than when they entered it.

01:53And now you know.

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