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Title
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How Hurricanes Form
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Type
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Primary: Mission Briefing Article
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Operation
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Monster Storms
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Mission:
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Mission 4: The Hunt
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Print Page
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72
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Subjects
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Science | Earth and space science | Cycles | Water cycle | Earths water | Oceans | Weather | Clouds | Hurricanes | Precipitation | Storms | Temperature | Wind | Physical science | Heat | Temperature
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Grades
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5 | 6 | 7 | 8
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Keywords
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hurricanes, hurricane formation, hurricane structure, heat energy, storm system, ocean water, evaporation, water vapor, cloud, air pressure, thunderstorm, tropical disturbance, storm rotation, sea-surface temperature, atmosphere, convection
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Audience
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Teachers | Elementary Grades | Junior High
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Created On
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5/17/2007
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From: Monster Storms Mission 4: The Hunt (pp: 72) |
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How Hurricanes Form Find out the energy source and conditions required for a hurricane to form and strengthen. |
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The energy source that a hurricane needs in order to form and strengthen is warm ocean water. As ocean water evaporates and forms water vapor, heat energy is carried up into the atmosphere. Then, when the water vapor condenses back into liquid water in a cloud, it releases this stored heat energy. The rising air spirals and produces a low-pressure zone at the surface where thunderstorms begin to form. As these thunderstorms become more organized, they produce a cluster called a tropical disturbance. Under certain conditions, this storm system can continue to strengthen and begin to rotate, leading to the formation of a hurricane. These conditions include
- sea-surface temperatures that are typically warmer than about 27°C (80°F).
- the exchange of heat energy from the ocean up into the atmosphere.
- light winds outside the system that create convections but are not strong enough to topple the buildup of the hurricane’s tall clouds, or that do not tear apart the rotational motion in the developing storm.
If one or more of these conditions does not exist, a hurricane will not form, or an existing hurricane will decay.
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