Hurricane definition

A severe, rotating tropical storm with heavy rains and cyclonic winds exceeding 74 mi (119 km) per hour, especially such a storm occurring in the Northern Hemisphere. Hurricanes originate in the tropical parts of the Atlantic Ocean or the Caribbean Sea and move generally northward. They lose force when they move over land or colder ocean waters.

A severe tropical cyclone having winds greater than 64 knots (74 miles per hour; 119 kilometers per hour), originating in the equatorial regions of the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea or eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean, traveling north, northwest, or northeast from its point of origin, and usually involving heavy rains.

Something resembling a hurricane in force or speed.

A wind with a speed greater than 64 knots (74 miles per hour; 119 kilometers per hour per hour), according to the Beaufort scale.

Anything like a hurricane in force and speed.

Hurricane is defined as something that is as strong as a devastating storm.

A violent tropical cyclone with winds moving at 74 or more miles per hour, often accompanied by torrential rains, and originating usually in the West Indian region: winds of hurricane force sometimes occur in the absence of a hurricane system.

A town in West Virginia, United States, population 5,968 (2005 census estimate)

The definition of hurricane is a storm with winds of 74 mph or more.

Hurricanes are tropical cyclones that form over the warm, humid air near the equator in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean.

U.S. hurricane season is defined as June 1st to November 30th of each year, with the peak in September. The Atlantic coast peak is a bit earlier in the season, mainly between mid-August through mid-September.

A hurricane needs a surface water temperature of at least 79 degrees Fahrenheit to warm the air at the ocean surface which then rises up, taking water in the form of vapor with it.

A low-pressure system will cause the clouds to rapidly circle counterclockwise (in the Northern Hemisphere) or clockwise (in the Southern Hemisphere). An eye will form in the center.

Converging winds at the ocean's surface collide pushing even more water vapor upwards, increasing warm air circulation and the wind speeds.

High pressure air at high altitudes pull even more heat away from the center of the storm, cooling the rising air resulting in further condensation and causing a faster release of heat energy. The high pressure air is pulled into the low-pressure center increasing the wind speeds.

Hurricanes make landfall between the Gulf of Mexico coast and the Florida peninsula.

When a hurricane hits the ground, the bottom part of the hurricane slows down. The top part picks up even more speed and momentum and a tornado can form.

A hurricane can form quickly within six hours, or it can take as long as 10 days.

A hurricane’s winds range from 74 mph and can exceed 155 mph, carry six to 12 inches of rainfall and bring storm surges near the coast.

Most Atlantic hurricanes average nine days but the hurricanes that form in August average 12 days.

Hurricanes can form tornadoes thousands of miles away from the original point of storm impact.

A storm is classified a hurricane when the winds reach a speed of 74 mph. After that point, a hurricane is categorized according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale:

Hurricanes are tracked with satellite pictures, rainfall measurements, 3-D measurements, windspeed measurements.

East Pacific - Hurricane paths tend to gather near the western side of Central America.

West Pacific - Hurricanes are located near either the Chinese mainland or the islands right off the shore.

South Pacific - Hurricanes often take a path over land.