3. What is a hurricane?
Hurricanes are tropical cyclones.
They form in the southern Atlantic Ocean,
Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and eastern
Pacific Ocean.
Their winds spiral outward in a
counterclockwise, circulation pattern.
4. What conditions must exist for a
hurricane to form?
Low to medium winds blowing in the same
direction
5–30 degrees north of the equator in the ocean
Ocean surface temperature of greater than 80
F that extends down to about 150 feet deep (50
m)
Lower atmosphere must be moist
5. How do hurricanes form?
The air mass above the tropical waters takes on the
temperature and humidity of the water beneath it.
Incoming winds force the air upward.
The warm, moist air rises, forming water vapor and
clouds.
Above the storm, the winds flow outward.
Outside winds blow inward, and the cycle repeats.
6. How do hurricanes move?
Hurricanes turn to the right, away from the
equator, because of the Coriolis Effect
caused by Earth’s rotation.
You will learn about this phenomenon later
in the lesson.
7. Where does the energy for a
hurricane originate?
The Sun heats the oceans.
Warm air rises, and as it cools, it
releases energy, fueling the hurricane.
8. Why don’t hurricanes form in
higher latitudes?
The temperature of the oceans is not
warm enough.
The distance is too far from the
equator.