Landfall facts for kids
Landfall is a word that means arriving at land. It's often used when talking about a journey by sea or air. For example, a ship makes landfall when it reaches the shore after a long trip.
But the word "landfall" is most commonly used in meteorology, which is the study of weather. In this case, it describes when a storm, like a tropical cyclone (which includes hurricanes and typhoons), moves from being over water to being over land. This is a very important moment because it often means the storm will bring its strongest winds and heaviest rain to coastal areas.
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What is Landfall in Weather?
Landfall in weather means the exact time and place where the center of a storm crosses a coastline. Imagine a big spinning storm over the ocean. As it gets closer to land, its eye (the calm center) or its strongest part will eventually move over the shore. That moment is called landfall.
It's important to know that a storm can cause a lot of damage even before its center makes landfall. Strong winds and heavy rain can start affecting coastal areas hours before the eye crosses the shore. After landfall, storms usually weaken quickly because they lose their energy source, which is the warm ocean water.
How Storms Make Landfall
When a storm makes landfall, it means its center has moved from the ocean onto the land. This is a critical point for any coastal area in the path of a storm.
- Eye of the Storm: For a hurricane or typhoon, the "eye" is the calm center. When the eye crosses the coast, that's officially when landfall happens.
- Strongest Winds: The strongest winds in a storm are usually found in the "eyewall," which is the ring of thunderstorms around the eye. These powerful winds hit land first, often before the eye itself.
- Heavy Rain: Storms bring huge amounts of rain. This rain can cause flooding, even far inland, long after the storm's center has moved over land.
Impact of Landfall
The impact of a storm making landfall can be very serious. Coastal communities prepare for these events to protect people and property.
- Wind Damage: Strong winds can knock down trees, power lines, and damage buildings.
- Storm Surge: This is a rise in sea level caused by the storm's winds pushing water towards the shore. Storm surge can cause severe coastal flooding.
- Flooding: Heavy rainfall can lead to widespread flooding, both near the coast and further inland.
- Tornadoes: Sometimes, storms making landfall can also create smaller, fast-spinning tornadoes.
After a storm makes landfall, it usually starts to weaken because it's no longer over the warm ocean water that fuels it. However, it can still cause significant damage as it moves inland, especially from heavy rain and flooding.
Other Meanings of Landfall
While "landfall" is mostly used for weather, it can also mean other things:
- A Place: There is a place called Landfall, Minnesota in the United States.
- A Journal: Landfall (journal) is a well-known New Zealand literary journal that publishes stories and poems.
- A Movie: Landfall (movie) is a 1977 New Zealand movie.
- A Song: "Landfall" is also the name of a song from Mike Oldfield's Tres Lunas album.
Images for kids
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Hurricane Maria losing its characteristic structure after making landfall in Puerto Rico
See also
In Spanish: Aterrizaje (meteorología) para niños
