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.
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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.