A hurricane is a severe tropical storm that forms in the North Atlantic Ocean,
the Northeast Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, or the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E. Hurricanes need warm tropical oceans,
moisture and light winds above them. If the right conditions last long enough, a hurricane can produce violent winds, incredible
waves, torrential rains and floods. In other regions of the world, these types of storms have different names.
Typhoon — (the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline)
Severe Tropical Cyclone — (the Southwest Pacific Ocean west of 160E
or Southeast Indian Ocean east of 90E)
Severe Cyclonic Storm — (the North Indian Ocean)
Tropical Cyclone — (the Southwest Indian Ocean)
Hurricanes rotate in a counterclockwise direction around an "eye." A tropical
storm becomes a hurricane when winds reach 74 mph. There are on average six Atlantic hurricanes each year; over a three-year
period, approximately five hurricanes strike the United States coastline from Texas to Maine. The Atlantic hurricane season
begins June 1 and ends November 30. The East Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 through November 30, with peak activity
occurring during July through September. In a normal season, the East Pacific would expect 15 or 16 tropical storms. Nine
of these would become hurricanes, of which four or five would be major hurricanes.
When hurricanes move onto land, the heavy rain, strong winds and heavy waves
can damage buildings, trees and cars. The heavy waves are called a storm surge. Storm surge is very dangerous and a major
reason why you MUST stay away from the ocean during a hurricane.
