Hurricanes As Heat Engines

In this lesson, students will examine a historical Category 5 hurricane, Hurricane Rita, that crossed the Gulf of Mexico during September 18-24, 2005. First, they will use the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server to obtain sea surface temperature (SST) data maps of the Gulf of Mexico. Then, they will construct a time series of SST data (line plot) for a location within the path of the hurricane where a drop in SST is observed. Students will gain an understanding of how hurricanes gain energy from the ocean surface. Educational levels: Middle school, High school