Hurricane Otis was unique because meteorologists got it so wrong. All designs can be tested, and construction and damage costs can be compared. Students can also add accessories such as reinforced doors, shutters, and roof clips. In the Gizmo, students can choose designs and materials for the foundation, walls, and roof of a house on the coast of North Carolina. Students can try their hand at this with the Flood and Storm-Proof Homes Gizmo. People in the Caribbean and Southeastern United States are used to hurricanes and have built houses designed to withstand the high winds and flooding that hurricanes bring. Recently, the category 5 Hurricane Otis devastated the Mexican city of Acapulco. It was a different story in the eastern Pacific, however. This year was relatively quiet in the Atlantic, despite record-high sea surface temperatures. Every year, the Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1 and ends on November 30.
