A hurricane is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Atlantic Ocean and typically occurs between June 1 and November 30. A hurricane is characterized by strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding. The most destructive hurricanes typically occur during the peak of hurricane season, which is August through October.
The term “hurricane” is derived from the Taino word hurakan, which means “great spirit of the wind.” Hurricanes are also known as typhoons or cyclones, depending on where they form. Typhoons form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean near Asia, while cyclones form in other parts of the world such as Australia, India, and South Africa.
The formation of a hurricane requires several conditions to be met. First, there must be warm ocean waters with a surface temperature of at least 26.5 degrees Celsius (79.7 degrees Fahrenheit). This provides the energy needed to power a hurricane. Second, there must be moist air near the surface of the ocean; this helps to fuel the thunderstorms that make up a hurricane. Third, there must be an area of low atmospheric pressure in which air rises; this causes the thunderstorms to grow and intensify into a hurricane. Finally, there must be winds blowing towards the center of circulation from different directions; these help to spin up the storm and give it its characteristic spiral shape.
Once these conditions are met and a tropical disturbance develops into a tropical depression (wind speeds below 39 mph), it may then intensify into a tropical storm (wind speeds between 39-73 mph) and eventually into a full-fledged hurricane (wind speeds greater than 73 mph). As it intensifies, a Hurricane will develop an “eye” – an area of calm weather surrounded by strong winds spiraling inward towards the center of circulation. The strongest winds and heaviest rains usually occur just outside of this eye wall in what is known as the eyewall replacement cycle; this can cause catastrophic damage if it makes landfall over populated areas.
As hurricanes move over warm ocean waters they continue to grow in strength until they reach their maximum intensity; however once they make landfall they begin to weaken due to friction with land surfaces and interaction with cooler air masses inland. Nevertheless even weak hurricanes can cause significant damage due to flooding from rainfall or storm surge – an increase in sea level caused by high winds pushing water ashore ahead of the eye wall – so it is important for people living in coastal areas or vulnerable regions susceptible to hurricanes take proper precautions ahead of time such as stocking up on supplies or evacuating if necessary when warnings are issued by local officials