How Hurricanes Form

Hurricanes can be both beautiful and incredibly destructive.

When a tropical cyclone reaches sustained winds of 74 mph, it is called a hurricane.
The official hurricane season is June 1 to November 30, but hurricanes sometimes occur outside of this season.

In the North Atlantic, and the central North Pacific, the term hurricane is used.
The same type of disturbance in the Northwest Pacific is called a typhoon.
Meanwhile, in the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean, the generic term tropical cyclone is used.

How do Hurricanes: Step by Step

Hurricanes need the following ingredients in order to occur.

1. A group of thunderstorms that move over the ocean.

2. Warm moist water. In fact, the water needs to be 80 degrees or higher.
Also, this warm water needs to be about 200 feet deep.

3. Unstable air that allows the moist air to rise, this rising air needs to be humid and reach up to 18,000 feet. This large amount of water vapor supplies latent heat energy for the storm.

4. Gentle winds in the upper atmosphere traveling at the same speed and direction to avoid ripping the storm apart.

5. A high-pressure system in the upper atmosphere.

Put these 5 ingredients together and you may get a hurricane. 

Hurricanes need warm moist air in order to grow, this is why hurricanes always form over the ocean.

Storms that form north of the equator spin counterclockwise. 

Storms south of the equator spin clockwise.

Related Links

Types air mass

Naming Air Mass

Clouds

Leave a Comment formation hurricane, how a hurricane forms, hurricane