hurricanes

Hurricanes Tropical CYCLONE formed over the North Atlantic, E North Pacific, W South Pacific, and Indian oceans in which the winds attain speeds greater than 75 mph (121 km/hr). A tropical cyclone passes through two stages, tropical depression and tropical storm, before reaching hurricane force. An average of 3.5 tropical storms per year become hurricanes; one to three of these approach the U.S. coast. Hurricanes usually develop between July and October. A hurricane is nearly circular …

…curve northward toward the pole. Deriving their energy from warm tropical ocean water, hurricanes weaken after prolonged contact with colder northern ocean waters, becoming extratropical cyclones; they decay rapidly after moving over land areas. The high winds, coastal flooding, and torrential rains associated with a hurricane may cause enormous damage. Tropical cyclones that form over the E North Pacific Ocean and its seas are called typhoons; those over the Indian Ocean and its seas, cyclones.