When Hurricane Katrina was a category 5 hurricane at its peak strength,the air pressure in the eye of the storm was 902mb.Near the earth's surface,the air pressure falls off at roughly 100mb per kilometer.So if you had an uncorrected altimeter in the eye of Katrina at sea level (not a good place to be),what altitude would it have read?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The altimeter would read an altitude based on the pressure difference from standard sea level pressure (1013 mb). The difference is 1013 mb - 902 mb = 111 mb. With a pressure drop of 100 mb per kilometer, the altimeter would read approximately 1.11 kilometers, or 1110 meters, which is closest to 1020 m.

When Hurricane Katrina Was a Category 5 Hurricane at Its