What causes a hurricane?
Warm ocean waters drive hurricanes. A hurricane requires surface sea temperatures of 82 degrees or warmer to gain energy and gather its damaging strength. Warmer water temperatures — several studies have shown that ocean temperatures worldwide are climbing with atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases — could well expand the current range of coastline affected by hurricanes. Hurricanes rotate in a counterclockwise direction around an “eye.” A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when winds reach 74 mph. In the United States, there are an average of six Atlantic hurricanes each year; over a three-year period, approximately five hurricanes strike the United States coastline from Texas to Maine. The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30. The East Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 through November 30, with peak activity occurring during July through September. In a normal season, the East Pacific would expect 15 or 16 tropical storms. Nine of these woul
