How Do Hurricanes Form

Wind is moving air that is measured on the Beaufort Scale. Warm air rises and cool air comes behind it to take its place. As the earth spins, the wind moves towards the northern hemisphere. This is commonly called the Coriolis Effect. Winds move at different speeds and are called different names based on how they are measured on the Beaufort Scale. The Beaufort Scale measures winds on a scale from 0-12 which goes from calm air right through to strong winds, gales to hurricanes. Winds are also grouped and named by the direction they travel, with the windiest place in the world being Antarctica.

Hurricanes mainly form in the tropics due the the air and water being moist and warm. There are various factors as to why a hurricanes form, however, Scientists believe that the perfect ingredient for a hurricane include low pressure which forms over a large area of warm water, this brings into play the Coriolis Effect whereby air is drawn into a central low pressure and begins to curve. The circular motion of a hurricane begins to form with incoming air rising, this air saturates with water and forms large heavy clouds. Pressure begins to build up when the lower condensed air meets with the upper air and causes a further increase in pressure. This is commonly known as the "eye of the hurricane".

The "eye of the hurricane" is the calmest part and is surrounded by the "eye wall" which is the most violent part of a hurricane. The eye wall contains the strongest of winds, the thunderstorms and storm surges. The surface pressure near the "eye of the hurricane" is extremely low and the lower the pressure, the stronger the storm rages. The surface pressure in the eye wall is extremely low. The Beaufort Scale was invented to measure the strength of storms, gales and hurricanes.

When a hurricane moves from the water on to land, the storm can no longer draw on the ocean's enormous energy supply and the storm begins to be less intense. The further inland a hurricane travels, the more it dissipates. However, during the time a hurricane reaches land it can have a major destructive effect on land, buildings and animals. The devastation a hurricane can incur if you are located anywhere in its front line can be catastrophic.

Another factor is that hurricanes produce tornadoes which happen at the outermost edges. The effects of a major hurricane with their high-winds, coupled with tornadoes can, and does, cause substantial damage to entire regions if they are directly path of a hurricane. Today, we are fortunate to have modernized equipment such as the Doppler Radar System, which can predict where the hurricane is going to touch-down and give meteorologists an idea of the path it is going to take. It is essential that Scientists continue to develop such systems in order to pre-alert people in built-up areas or people in the direct line of a hurricane so that they can take the necessary precautions to avoid complete destruction of their property and prevent fatalities.