What is a hurricane?

Hurricanes are large, swirling storms. They produce winds of 119 kilometers per hour (74 mph) or higher. 

That's faster than a cheetah, the fastest animal on land. Winds from a hurricane can damage buildings and trees.

Hurricanes form over warm ocean waters. Sometimes they strike land. When a hurricane reaches land, it pushes a wall of ocean water ashore. This wall of water is called a storm surge. Heavy rain and storm surge from a hurricane can cause flooding.

Once a hurricane forms, weather forecasters predict its path. They also predict how strong it will get. This information helps people get ready for the storm.

There are five types, or categories, of hurricanes. The categories are based on wind speed. 

The eye of the hurricane:

A hurricane has a peaceful center called the eye, that is often distinctive in satellite images. The eye stretches from 10 to 30 miles wide and often contains calm winds, warm temperatures and clear skies. Around this tropical bliss is a frenzy of winds gusting at speeds up to 186 miles per hour. If one percent of the energy in one hurricane could be captured, all the power, fuel, and heating requirements of the United States could be met for an entire year. It takes 500 trillion horsepower to whirl the great core of winds at such tremendous speeds. It is the equivalent of exploding an atomic bomb every 10 seconds.

Written by: W News