Among the most devastating weather phenomena on the planet, hurricanes are examples of tropical cyclones—rotating, low-pressure storm systems with winds exceeding 74 mph (119 kph). They form between the Caribbean Sea and West Africa, as well as the warm waters west of Mexico and Central America.
All tropical cyclones consist of a central eye with no extreme weather, a violent eyewall of intense winds funneling warm, moist air upward, and spiraling rainbands composed of clouds and thunderstorms (see breakdown). The water in the air releases energy when it condenses, which is used to accelerate wind speeds and provide a continuous supply of storm clouds until landfall. Able to grow to over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) in diameter, tropical cyclones can unleash multiple feet of rain and storm surges. In a single day, they can release 200 times the amount of electrical energy generated on Earth in the same span.
Hurricanes are categorized by maximum sustained winds on the Saffir-Simpson scale and have caused over $1.5T in damage from 1980 to 2024.
… Read what else we learned about hurricanes here.
I just read The Light Pirate. It’s a dystopian novel about what happens when climate change has significantly changed the U.S. The story centers around hurricanes and Florida. Very interesting book.