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Weather - Hurricanes (Tropical Cyclones)

What is a hurricane? A hurricane is a large rotating storm with high speed winds that forms over warm waters in tropical areas. Hurricanes have sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour and an area of low air pressure in the center called the eye. Different Names for Hurricanes The scientific name for a hurricane is a tropical cyclone. Tropical cyclones go by different names in different places. In North America and the Caribbean they are called "hurricanes", in the Indian Ocean they are called "cyclones", and in Southeast Asia they are called "typhoons."

• Eye - At the center of the hurricane is the eye. The eye is an area of very low air pressure. There are generally no clouds in the eye and the wind is calm. Don't let this fool you, however, the most dangerous part of the storm is at the edge of the eye called the eye wall.
• Eye wall - Around the outside of the eye is a wall made up of very heavy clouds. This is the most dangerous part of the hurricane and where the highest speed winds are. The winds at the eye wall can reach speeds of 155 miles per hour.
• Rainbands - Hurricanes have large spirally bands of rain called rainbands. These bands can drop huge amounts of rainfall causing flooding when the hurricane hits land.
• Diameter - Hurricanes can become huge storms. The diameter of the hurricane is measured from one side to the other. Hurricanes can span a diameter of over 600 miles.
• Height - The storm clouds that power hurricanes can become very tall. A powerful hurricane can reach nine miles into the atmosphere.

The structure of a hurricane

Locations of tropical cyclones throughout the world

• Tropical Depression - 38 mph or less
• Tropical Storm - 39 to 73 mph

Hurricane

• Category 1 - 74 to 95 mph
• Category 2 - 96 to 110 mph
• Category 3 - 111 to 129 mph
• Category 4 - 130 to 156 mph
• Category 5 - 157 or higher mph

• Hurricanes rotate counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. This is due to the rotation of the Earth called the Coriolis effect.
• The letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z are not used for the first letter when naming hurricanes.
• The names are alternated between boy and girl names.
• Weather forecasters draw a cone showing where they think the hurricane is most likely to travel.
• You can always find out the latest information on hurricanes at the website of the National Hurricane Center which tracks and forecasts hurricanes.

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