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Facts about A Hurricane

Only tropical cyclones that form over the Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific Ocean are called "hurricanes." Whatever they are called, tropical cyclones all form the same way. Tropical cyclones are like giant engines that use warm, moist air as fuel. That is why they form only over warm ocean waters near the equator.

Hurricanes begin as tropical storms over the warm moist waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans near the equator. (Near the Phillippines and the China Sea, hurricanes are called typhoons.) As the moisture evaporates it rises until enormous amounts of heated moist air are twisted high in the atmosphere.Apr 28, 2005

Water vapor is the "fuel" for the hurricanes because it releases the "latent heat of condensation" when it condenses to form clouds and rain, warming the surrounding air. (This heat energy was absorbed by the water vapor when it was evaporated from the warm ocean surface, cooling the ocean in the process.)May 29, 2013

Over the sea, a hurricane, cyclone or typhoon can cause the level to rise by several metres. This rise in water causes massive waves to hit the shores near the storm. Overland, the hurricanes do a lot of damage, with powerful winds blasting the landscape. Heavy rains from the hurricane's clouds also cause flooding.

NOAA's National Hurricane Center does not control the naming of tropical storms. Instead, there is a strict procedure established by the World Meteorological Organization. For Atlantic hurricanes, there is a list of male and female names which are used on a six-year rotation.

Scientists can predict the number of named storms and their breakdown by intensity (i.e. the number of hurricanes, tropical storms, intense hurricanes, etc.). They can also predict approximate wind speeds and intensity for sustained winds. These can be easily calculated using elementary statistics.

Satellites, reconnaissance aircraft, Ships, buoys, radar, and other land-based platforms are important tools used in hurricane tracking and prediction. While a tropical cyclone is over the open ocean, remote measurements of the storm's intensity and track are made primarily via satellites.

Tracking Hurricanes. Tracking tropical cyclones is a constantly evolving science. Different methods include using satellites and radar, and reconnaissance aircraft. Observations from across the Caribbean also greatly assist in tracking tropical cyclones.Jul 8, 2013

One of the driving forces of a hurricane is heat energy in oceanic surface waters. Warm water evaporates more quickly, and warm air rises. ... If it moves onto land it loses that warm water source, and so dies down. The single most important factor in a hurricane losing energy is friction.Jul 10, 2016