Hurricanes and more generically, tropical cyclones occur in seven distinct basins around the world. Hurricanes are the direct result of the rise in ocean temperature in the areas near the tropics. The spiralling effect of the winds can see wind speeds reach anywhere between 75 to over 200 mph. There are moments when the flash floods are so bad that they can go up to 9 feet or more. Why do hurricanes occur? The scientific term for all these storms is tropical cyclone. Most of the damage is caused by flooding and storm surge. The destructive power of hurricanes has earned them a reputation of much-feared natural disasters that occur all over the world. Well, a hurricane is a tropical cyclone that occurs in the North Atlantic Ocean or the Northeast Pacific Ocean and remains east of the International Dateline. A hurricane in the North Atlantic is likely to affect the east coast of North America (i.e., countries like the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico) and Caribbean Sea, while one in the Eastern Pacific will have Hawaii and the western coast of Mexico on its radar. The prerequisites of this process include warm water, moist air, low pressure area, wind disturbance, and a considerable depth; all of which are readily associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone. Follow these suggestions for staying safe after a hurricane: Remain indoors until an official "all clear" is given. This is because people are too anxious to get outside and survey the damage and come into contact with downed power lines or unstable trees. The time of the year when hurricanes occur in a particular region is considered the 'hurricane season' for that region. A lot of people become uncomfortable during hurricanes especially when they are forced to evacuate their homes. Hurricanes most often hit in the western Pacific Ocean, with other storms forming in the Atlantic Ocean, the eastern Pacific Ocean, the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean. These produce strong winds and heavy rain. To do this, they typically form between 5 to 15 degrees latitude north and south of the equator. Tropical storms can grow into hurricanes, and hurricanes can grow into stronger hurricanes. The Atlantic Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Hawaiian islands are the most vulnerable to hurricanes. Where Do Tropical Cyclones Form? Hurricanes do an important job for the Earth. The same for the Eastern Pacific begins on May 15 and ends on November 30. When hurricanes strike land they can cause huge amounts of damage. This is done by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which has predesignated lists of hurricane names in alphabetical order for every region that is prone to hurricanes. Other than a well-defined circulation, a hurricane is typically characterized by sustained winds of 74 miles per hour, which can go well beyond 150 miles per hour at times. Many Atlantic hurricanes start to take shape when thunderstorms along the west coast of Africa drift out over warm ocean waters that are at least 80 … Hurricanes occur in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) near the Equator where the northeasterly trade winds meet the southeasterly trade winds. Actually, the term hurricane is used only for the large storms that form over the Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific Ocean. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season is from May 15 to November 30. Hurricane Return Periods . Hurricanes can also bring strong winds, tornados, rough surf, and rip currents. 0 0. They help move heat from warm tropical places to the cooler temperate zone. If it is strong enough, a hurricane can continue to cause widespread destruction for a considerable time after the landfall. The formation of hurricanes is a complex process which is triggered by numerous factors coming into play. The most active period for hurricane strikes during a given third of any month has occurred in the last third of August. Hurricanes most often occur in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. The first step for where do hurricanes occur parts of the atmosphere where unique chemical and physical processes occur aeronomy is the study of the upper parts of the atmosphere where unique chemical and physical processes occur meteorology national geographic society Growing Agriculture With Big Data: Sue Barrell, Bureau. They are classified as a warm core storm system. Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean lasts from the beginning of June to the end of November, while in the north Indian Ocean, it lasts from April to December. This heat is distributed vertically around the center of the storm, so, except at the surface of water, it is warmer inside the cyclone than it is outside. In the Southern Hemisphere, the tropical cyclones originating in the southwestern Indian Ocean are more likely to hit Madagascar and countries along the east coast of Africa, while those occurring in the southeastern Indian Ocean are likely to hit the northern coast of Australia. Hurricane rampage is not restricted to the coastal regions. As low level winds flow into the regions of such disturbances, these winds absorb moisture and energy from the ocean and rise upwards. It turns out that that is a major question. In fact, it was the first hurricane-intensity tropical cyclone to hit the region. The top 10 most hurricane-prone cities in the U.S. are the following: Cape Hattaras, North Carolina Hurricanes usually weaken as they reach the colder waters of the Northeast, ... And hurricanes in the Pacific, while they do occur, tend to travel … People call these storms by other names, such as typhoons or cyclones, depending on where they occur. Typically circular or ovular, the formation has the appearance reminiscent of a human eye when viewed from above. Scientists just call these storms different things depending on where they occur. read more. Hurricanes occur in the North Atlantic and East Pacific Oceanwhere ever water is warm enough (generally around 80 degrees) and a few degrees north of the equator. This is called hurricane season. It is a tropical nightmare, but if humans could somehow harness that energy we would never need fossil fuels again. The Atlantic hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30, but most hurricanes occur during the fall months. But devastating hurricanes haven’t always been the norm. Well, there you have the answer to what is a hurricane. At the center of the hurricane is an area of sinking air. If you’d like more info on hurricanes, check out Visible Earth Homepage. The name cyclone is retained when referring to tropical cyclones that occur over the Southwestern Pacific and Indian Ocean. Research has shown that most of the monster storms that hit the US and Canada start out as a distinct weather pattern in the atmosphere over western Africa, specifically a spot off the coast of the African Cape Verde islands.. Hurricanes are one of the ways by which nature tries to attain an energy balance between the surface and the atmosphere. The Tropical Cyclones. Hurricanes that form in the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean occur between June 1st and November 30th each year. The only land masses impacted by tropical cyclones in this region are Hawaii and Johnston Atoll. These late-season hurricanes were likely guided in by cold fronts that dropped in from the north. We have written many articles about hurricanes for Universe Today. Hurricane rampage is not restricted to the coastal regions. Hurricanes occur in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) near the Equator where the northeasterly trade winds meet the southeasterly trade winds. A Weather and Travel Community Please stop by the weather and travel message boards, so that you can interact with others who live in or have taken vacations in Mexico, Florida, the Caribbean or other tropical locations. Year after year, hurricanes seem to hit the United States with rapid succession. Near the equator, where there is no Coriolis effect, hurricanes cannot form within 300 miles (500 kilometers) of the equator. Hurricanes most often occur in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. But that thought may just be due to the three devastating hurricanes in the past two seasons. Hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean strike the east coast of Mexico and Central America, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Florida, Texas, Louisiana and the southeast coast of the United States … The difference between a tropical storm and a hurricane is wind speed – tropical storms usually bring winds of 36 to 47 mph, whereas hurricane wind speeds are at least 74 mph. What is a Tropical Cyclone. In the South Pacific, on the other hand, it lasts from October 15 to May 31. These faster winds and the lower pressure associated with them cause an increase in surface evaporation and more condensation. Most often, storms that occur in the area are weak and often decline in strength upon entry. The same trend can be seen in the Eastern Pacific wherein most hurricanes occur in August and September. In the Western Pacific, where they are known as typhoons, they occur between July and September. If it is strong enough, a hurricane can continue to cause widespread destruction for a considerable time after the landfall. Hurricanes Michael, Harvey and Irma occurred in the past two hurricane seasons and are inside the top-10 most damaging in U.S. history. Tropical cyclones are distinguished by the deep convection that fuels them. The storms have a life span of one to 30 days and occur most often during August and September though the season runs from June to November, according to the … The northwest Panhandle portion of Florida has sustained the most direct hurricane hits in recorded history with 66 — more than any other individual state. Certainly a hurricane that affects the coast will likely have a large storm surge that results in elevated water levels. The eye is located in the center of a hurricane. Why are hurricanes dangerous? And here’s a link to NASA’s Earth Observatory. In the eastern North Pacific Ocean, hurricane season lasts from May 15 to the end of November. These storms are fueled by a different heat mechanism than other cyclonic windstorms(nor’easters, polar lows, and European windstorms). In the Atlantic and Pacific, September is the month with the most hurricanes. Not even Las Vegas, Nevada is totally safe! The eye is normally circular in shape, and may range in size from 3 km to 370 km in diameter. Hurricanes that form in the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean occur between June 1st and November 30th each year. More deaths and injuries occur after a hurricane hits than during. Knowing how do hurricanes form is not the only thing that helps understand these storms. This positive feedback system continues and feeds the hurricane until the conditions for hurricane formation are gone. Hurricanes most often occur in the Atlantic Ocean. When do hurricanes occur? During an average season, three hurricane-strength storms occur in September. read more By the way, cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons are the same thing: depending on where they are born, they are called by one name or another. Where Do Hurricanes Occur? Then, they thunder across the warm oceans of the world such as the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Western Pacific Ocean (where they are called typhoons), up to higher latitudes. Why are hurricanes dangerous? Hurricanes, for example, are the names given to tropical cyclones in the United States and the Antilles. Who names hurricanes? Year after year, hurricanes seem to hit the United States with rapid succession. In the Northwestern Pacific, such storms are known as typhoons, while in the North Atlantic and eastern North Pacific, they are known as hurricanes. Locations that may be affected are the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central America including eastern Mexico, the eastern and Gulf coasts of the United States, and eastern Canada. These storms are called hurricanes in the United States, severe tropical cyclones in Australia, typhoons in the Northwest Pacific, and chubasco in the Philippines. Hurricanes Michael, Harvey and Irma occurred in the past two hurricane seasons and are inside the top-10 most damaging in U.S. history. All tropical cyclones are areas of low atmospheric pressure. Simply put, it's a hurricane if it occurs in the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, tropical cyclone (or simply cyclone) if it occurs in the Indian Ocean, South Pacific, or South Atlantic, and lastly, typhoon if it occurs in the Western Pacific Ocean. Hurricanes are unique storm systems that form under very specific atmospheric conditions. When hurricanes strike land they can cause huge amounts of damage. In fact, the Bay of Bengal is a hotbed for cyclonic storms. Though rare, the chances of a hurricane occurring outside the stipulated season cannot be ruled out. Even the name of a hurricane is decided on the basis of where it occurs. Understanding where and when hurricanes happen. The typhoons of the western Pacific are likely to hit Japan, China, & Southeast Asia. In the Southern Hemisphere, the tropical cyclones originating in the southwestern Indian Ocean are more likely to hit Madagascar and countries along the east coast of Africa, while those occurring in the southeastern Indian Ocean are likely to hit the northern coast of Australia. The formation of hurricanes is a complex process which is triggered by numerous factors coming into play. Central Pacific hurricanes are rare and on average 3 or 4 storms form or move in this area per year. In the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, they are called hurricanes.In the Western Pacific Ocean, they are called typhoons. Only tropical cyclones that form over the Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific Ocean … A hurricane is characterized and driven by the release of large amounts of latent heat of condensation(water vapor condenses as it moves upward). If this area is strong enough, it can develop into a large eye. But that thought may just be due to the three devastating hurricanes in the past two seasons. This is because people are too anxious to get outside and survey the damage and come into contact with downed power lines or unstable trees. In the Indian Ocean, the cyclone season starts on October 15 and goes through to May 31. Actually, the term hurricane is used only for the large storms that form over the Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific Ocean. They form near the equator over warm ocean waters. The two absolutely needed requirements for the formation of hurricanes (so coined in the Atlantic and the eastern Pacific) is a large body of water and surface temperatures of this body of water of 26 degrees C or above. Once formed, hurricanes often continue moving until they encounter a force that slows them down. More deaths and injuries occur after a hurricane hits than during. As warm air is less dense, it rises, and colder air from the surroundings is attracted into the … Here are oceans where they can form and their commonly used names: North Atlantic (including Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico): Hurricanes When planning a vacation, if you are heading to a tropical climate it would be a good idea to know when and where hurricanes occur. Hurricanes happen when the oceans have been warmed during summer months. Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in the US estimate that a tropical cyclone releases heat energy equal to 70 times the world energy consumption, 200 times the worldwide electrical generating capacity, or the same as exploding a 10 megaton nuclear bomb every 20 minutes. While in Asia they are called typhoons. In the North Atlantic, for instance, the peak season typically occurs between August and September. 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