Hurricanes are powerful storms that can bring flooding, high winds and drenching rain. They are the most deadly weather events on Earth and cause billions of dollars worth of damage each year. While we wouldn’t wish them upon anyone, we do need to understand why hurricanes exist in the natural world.
Scientists use data gathered by satellites, aircraft and devices that float in the water to study hurricanes and their causes. These devices can measure winds, air and ocean temperatures, clouds and waves. They can also gather information about what is inside a hurricane, such as how much vapor it contains and its pressure.
A hurricane forms when a cluster of rain showers and thunderstorms form over an area of low air pressure. The spiraling winds of a hurricane pull the moist air toward its center, where it forms a dense cloud of towering thunderstorms. The more moisture the air has, the stronger the hurricane. Air temperature determines how much moisture it can hold; warmer air holds more water vapor.
As a hurricane moves over the ocean, it drags the water’s surface along with it, tossing the water’s contents. This mixing breaks up patches of bacteria that can lead to “red tide” along the coasts and oxygenates the near-surface waters. This makes the ocean more habitable for fish and other marine life.
A hurricane’s churning motion also helps spread out the energy from the sun over the whole surface of the Earth. This evens out the distribution of heat energy, preventing the tropics from warming up too quickly while the poles cool.