How are Hurricanes formed?
1. When the vapor from the warm ocean condenses to form clouds, it gives heat to the air. The warm air is pulled into the column of clouds. Evaporation and condensation continue to build the column of clouds larger and larger. Then a pattern of wind picks up and it creates thunderstorms and very powerful rainstorms.
2. As the storms get bigger and higher, the cooler air becomes unstable. As the heat energy is released from the cooling water vapor, the air at the top of the clouds becomes hotter, making the air pressure higher and causing winds to move outward away from the high pressure place. This movement and warming causes pressures at the surface to drop. Then air at the surface moves toward the lower pressure area, rises, and creates more thunderstorms. Winds in the storm cloud column spin faster and faster, whipping around in a circular motion. When the winds reach between 25 and 38 mph, the storm is called a tropical depression. Then the tropical storm occurs.
3. The wind twists and turns around the eye creating the calmness in the center. When the speed reaches 74 miles per hour it is officially a tropical cyclone.
1. When the vapor from the warm ocean condenses to form clouds, it gives heat to the air. The warm air is pulled into the column of clouds. Evaporation and condensation continue to build the column of clouds larger and larger. Then a pattern of wind picks up and it creates thunderstorms and very powerful rainstorms.
2. As the storms get bigger and higher, the cooler air becomes unstable. As the heat energy is released from the cooling water vapor, the air at the top of the clouds becomes hotter, making the air pressure higher and causing winds to move outward away from the high pressure place. This movement and warming causes pressures at the surface to drop. Then air at the surface moves toward the lower pressure area, rises, and creates more thunderstorms. Winds in the storm cloud column spin faster and faster, whipping around in a circular motion. When the winds reach between 25 and 38 mph, the storm is called a tropical depression. Then the tropical storm occurs.
3. The wind twists and turns around the eye creating the calmness in the center. When the speed reaches 74 miles per hour it is officially a tropical cyclone.