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A '''tropical cyclone''' is a powerful, rotating [[storm]] that begins over a warm body of water. Tropical cyclones form in waters near the equator, and then they move north.  The term '''hurricane''' denotes a tropical cyclone whose maximum sustained wind speed is at least 74 miles per hour.  Less severe tropical cyclones are known as tropical storms or tropical depressions, depending on intensity.

A '''tropical cyclone''' is a powerful, rotating [[storm]] that begins over a warm body of water. Tropical cyclones form in waters near the equator, and then they move north.  The term '''hurricane''' denotes a tropical cyclone whose maximum sustained wind speed is at least 74 miles per hour.  Less severe tropical cyclones are known as tropical storms or tropical depressions, depending on intensity.

Hurricane winds swirl about the eye, a calm area in the center of the storm. The band of tall, dark clouds surrounding the eye is called the eyewall. The eye is usually 10 to 40 miles in diameter and is free of [[rain]] and large [[cloud]]s. In the eyewall, large changes in pressure create the hurricane's strongest winds. These winds can reach nearly 200 mph. Damaging winds may extend 250 miles from the eye.

Hurricane winds swirl about the eye, a calm area in the center of the storm. The band of tall, dark clouds surrounding the eye is called the eyewall. The eye is usually 10 to 40 miles in diameter and is free of [[rain]] and large [[cloud]]s. In the eyewall, large changes in pressure create the hurricane's strongest winds. These winds can reach nearly 200 mph. Damaging winds may extend 250 miles from the eye.

Hurricanes are referred to by different labels, depending on where they occur. They are called '''hurricanes''' if they occur over the North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, or Northeast Pacific Ocean; '''[[typhoon|typhoons]]''' if they occur in the Pacific Ocean west of the [[International Date Line]]; and '''tropical cyclones''' if they occur in the Indian Ocean or southwest Pacific.  

Hurricanes are referred to by different labels, depending on where they occur. They are called '''hurricanes''' if they occur over the North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, or Northeast Pacific Ocean; '''[[typhoon]]s''' if they occur in the Pacific Ocean west of the [[International Date Line]]; and '''tropical cyclones''' if they occur in the Indian Ocean or southwest Pacific.  

Hurricanes are most common during the [[summer]] and early [[Autumn| fall]]. In the [[Atlantic]] and the Northeast [[Pacific]], for example, [[August]] and [[September]] are the peak hurricane months. Typhoons occur throughout the year in the Northwest Pacific but are most frequent in summer. Approximately 85 hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical [[cyclone]]s occur in a year throughout the world.  

Hurricanes are most common during the [[summer]] and early [[Autumn|fall]]. In the [[Atlantic]] and the Northeast [[Pacific]], for example, [[August]] and [[September]] are the peak hurricane months. Typhoons occur throughout the year in the Northwest Pacific but are most frequent in summer. Approximately 85 hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical [[cyclone]]s occur in a year throughout the world.  

Names are assigned to [[Hurricane names|hurricanes]], typhoons, and cyclones in order to differentiate between each year's storms. However, there is no universal naming convention.  Hurricanes and Atlantic tropical storms are assigned male and female names, whilst the name of a typhoon may be a number (as in [[Japan]]), or it may be assigned an Asian name, as in [[China]] and the [[Philippines]].  

Names are assigned to [[Hurricane names|hurricanes]], typhoons, and cyclones in order to differentiate between each year's storms. However, there is no universal naming convention.  Hurricanes and Atlantic tropical storms are assigned male and female names, whilst the name of a typhoon may be a number (as in [[Japan]]), or it may be assigned an Asian name, as in [[China]] and the [[Philippines]].  

<tr><th rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left">Category</th><th colspan="2" align="left">Wind speed</th><th rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left">Examples</th></tr>

<tr><th rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left">Category</th><th colspan="2" align="left">Wind speed</th><th rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left">Examples</th></tr>

<tr><td>miles per hour</td><td>meters per second</td>

<tr><td>miles per hour</td><td>meters per second</td>

<tr><td>Tropical depression</td><td>&lt; 39 m.p.h.</td><td>&lt; 17 m/s</td><td bgcolor="silver"></td></tr>

<tr><td>Tropical depression</td><td>&lt; 39 m.p.h.</td><td>&lt; 17&nbsp;m/s</td><td bgcolor="silver"></td></tr>

<tr><td>Tropical storm</td><td>39-73 m.p.h.</td><td>17-32 m/s</td><td>Tropical Storm Erin (2007)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Tropical storm</td><td>39–73 m.p.h.</td><td>17–32&nbsp;m/s</td><td>Tropical Storm Erin (2007)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Category 1 hurricane</td><td>74-95 m.p.h.</td><td>33-42 m/s</td><td>Hurricane Earl (1998)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Category 1 hurricane</td><td>74–95 m.p.h.</td><td>33–42&nbsp;m/s</td><td>Hurricane Earl (1998)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Category 2 hurricane</td><td>96-110 m.p.h.</td><td>43-49 m/s</td><td>Hurricane Georges (1998)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Category 2 hurricane</td><td>96–110 m.p.h.</td><td>43–49&nbsp;m/s</td><td>Hurricane Georges (1998)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Category 3 hurricane</td><td>111-130 m.p.h.</td><td>50-58 m/s</td><td>Hurricane Fran (1996)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Category 3 hurricane</td><td>111–130 m.p.h.</td><td>50–58&nbsp;m/s</td><td>Hurricane Fran (1996)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Category 4 hurricane</td><td>131-155 m.p.h.</td><td>59-69 m/s</td><td>Hurricane Betsy (1965)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Category 4 hurricane</td><td>131–155 m.p.h.</td><td>59–69&nbsp;m/s</td><td>Hurricane Betsy (1965)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Category 5 hurricane</td><td>&#8805; 156 m.p.h.</td><td>&#8805; 70 m/s</td><td>Hurricane Camille (1969)</td></tr>

<tr><td>Category 5 hurricane</td><td>&#8805; 156 m.p.h.</td><td>&#8805; 70&nbsp;m/s</td><td>Hurricane Camille (1969)</td></tr>

</table>

</table>

Since air tends to move from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, wind is produced. In the Northern Hemisphere, the earth's rotation causes the wind to swirl into a low-pressure area in a [[counterclockwise]] direction. This effect of the rotating earth on wind flow is called the [[Coriolis effect]]. The Coriolis effect increases in intensity further from the equator. To produce a hurricane, a low-pressure area must be more than 5 degrees of latitude north of the equator. Hurricanes seldom occur close to the equator. For a hurricane to develop, there must be little wind shear&mdash; little difference in [[speed]] and direction between winds at upper and lower elevations. Uniform winds enable the warm inner core of the storm to stay intact. The storm would break up if the winds at higher elevations increased markedly in speed and/or changed direction. The wind shear would disrupt the budding hurricane by tipping it over or by blowing the top of the storm in one direction while the bottom moved in another direction.

Since air tends to move from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, wind is produced. In the Northern Hemisphere, the earth's rotation causes the wind to swirl into a low-pressure area in a [[counterclockwise]] direction. This effect of the rotating earth on wind flow is called the [[Coriolis effect]]. The Coriolis effect increases in intensity further from the equator. To produce a hurricane, a low-pressure area must be more than 5 degrees of latitude north of the equator. Hurricanes seldom occur close to the equator. For a hurricane to develop, there must be little wind shear&mdash; little difference in [[speed]] and direction between winds at upper and lower elevations. Uniform winds enable the warm inner core of the storm to stay intact. The storm would break up if the winds at higher elevations increased markedly in speed and/or changed direction. The wind shear would disrupt the budding hurricane by tipping it over or by blowing the top of the storm in one direction while the bottom moved in another direction.

==History==

==History==

Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane, smashed into the area south of Miami, Florida, in August 1992, leaving forty people dead, 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed, more than a million people left without electricity, and damages of $20-30 billion. Much of South Florida's sensitive vegetation was severely damaged. The region had not seen a storm of such awesome power in decades. Andrew destroyed complacency and erased any sense of benign ignorance toward hurricanes among South Florida residents.

Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane, smashed into the area south of Miami, Florida, in August 1992, leaving forty people dead, 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed, more than a million people left without electricity, and damages of $20–30 billion. Much of South Florida's sensitive vegetation was severely damaged. The region had not seen a storm of such awesome power in decades. Andrew destroyed complacency and erased any sense of benign ignorance toward hurricanes among South Florida residents.

==Hurricane information for Earth's oceans==

==Hurricane information for Earth's oceans==

*[[2009_Atlantic_hurricane_season#2009|Atlantic hurricane season 2009]]

*[[2009 Atlantic hurricane season#2009|Atlantic hurricane season 2009]]

*[[Eastern_Pacific_season_2009|Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons]]

*[[Eastern Pacific season 2009|Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons]]

*[[Northwest_Pacific_typhoon_season_2009|Northwest Pacific season 2009]]  

*[[Northwest Pacific typhoon season 2009|Northwest Pacific season 2009]]  

*[[2008_Atlantic_hurricane_season|2008 Atlantic hurricane season]]

*[[2008 Atlantic hurricane season]]

*[[1803 Atlantic hurricane season]]

*[[1803 Atlantic hurricane season]]

*[http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ National Hurricane Center]

*[http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ National Hurricane Center]

=== references ===

=== References ===

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[[category:meteorology]]

[[Category:Meteorology]]

[[Category:Hurricanes]]

[[Category:Hurricanes]]