Ask Tappity: Science Questions for Kids > What is a Hurricane?
What is a Hurricane?
Hurricanes are the most powerful storms on the planet. Why are they so much stronger than other storms? Watch this video to find out, or read our explanation below!
Storms are Powered by Warm Water
All thunderstorms are powered by warm water. As water is warmed by the sun, some of it evaporates and rises into the air, where it turns into clouds. If there’s enough of it, that rising air also causes other air to move around a lot, and can form a turbulent thunderstorm. The more warm water, the stronger the storm.
Hurricanes Form Over the Ocean
The thing that makes hurricanes unique is that they form over the ocean - where there’s LOTS of water. Huge swaths of miles and miles of warm ocean water near the equator power massive storms that just grow and grow as they are fed by more warm water. The only thing that can stop their growth is running out of fuel, which often doesn’t happen until they hit the land!
Why Do Hurricanes Spin?
Hurricanes spin due to the rotation of the Earth! Weird, right? It's because of something called the Coriolis Effect, which affects how things move when they’re on a spinning object (like the Earth!). The Coriolis Effect causes winds to curve as they move northward and southward on the Earth. When there’s lots and lots of air being pulled towards the center of a hurricane from all directions, this causes a massive spinning vortex.
Hurricane Facts for Kids
Got hurricane questions? We’ve got hurricane answers!
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Depends on the hemisphere! Hurricanes spin counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
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Hurricanes cannot cross the Equator. If they did, they would have to reverse the direction they're spinning in!
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The eye of the hurricane is a calm part in the center of the vortex, and it is relatively safe. However, the winds on the edge of the eye are the strongest of the hurricane, so as soon as the eye passes, you’ll be in the worst part of the storm!
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Historically, storm surge, or the sudden rise in water that hurricanes can trigger, causes the most deaths from hurricanes.
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September historically has the most hurricanes of any month.
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No, but they do cool the oceans. Hurricanes are powered by heat in the ocean, so they effectively transfer heat energy from the oceans onto land.
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A hurricane can temporarily have two eyes when two hurricanes collide and merge into one hurricane.
More Answers to Weather Questions from Kids
What are clouds? What is a tornado? The Tappity Meteorology Library has interactive lessons with answers to those questions and more!
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