Hold on tight, gang – and we mean super tight! – because we’re about to check out ten facts about one of nature’s most powerful forces – hurricanes!

facts about hurricanes

1. Hurricanes are giant tropical storms that produce heavy rainfall and super-strong winds.

2. Hurricanes form over warm ocean waters near the equator. The warm, moist air above the ocean surface rises, causing air from surrounding areas to be “sucked” in. This “new” air then becomes warm and moist, and rises, too, beginning a continuous cycle that forms clouds. The clouds then rotate with the spin of the Earth. If there is enough warm water to feed the storm, a hurricane forms!

3. Hurricanes rotate around a circular centre called the “eye“, where it is generally calm with no clouds. Surrounding the eye is the eye wall – the most dangerous part of the hurricane with the strongest winds, thickest clouds and heaviest rain!

facts about hurricanes

4. Most hurricanes occur harmlessly out at sea. However, when they move towards land they can be incredibly dangerous and cause serious damage.

5. The strong spiralling winds of a hurricane can reach speeds of up to 320kmph – strong enough to rip up entire trees and destroy buildings!

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6. In the southern hemisphere, hurricanes rotate in a clockwise direction, and in the northern hemisphere they rotate in an anti-clockwise direction. This is due to what’s called the Coriolis Force, produced by the Earth’s rotation.

facts about hurricanes

7. When a hurricane reaches land it often produces a “storm surge“. This is when the high winds drive the sea toward the shore, causing water levels to rise and creating large crashing waves. Storm surges can reach 6m high and extend to over 150km!

8. Hurricanes are also called cyclones and typhoons, depending on where they occur. In the Atlantic Ocean and Northwest Pacific they are hurricanes, in the Northwest Pacific they are typhoons and in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean they are cyclones.

9. The largest hurricane on record is Typhoon Tip, which occurred in 1979 in the northwest Pacific. With a diameter of around 2,220km, it was nearly half the size of the United States!

facts about hurricanes

10. Hurricanes are given names by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) so that they can be distinguished. Each year, tropical storms are named in alphabetical order according to a list produced by the WMO. That name stays with the storm if it develops into a hurricane. The names can only be repeated after six years.

What do you think of these facts about hurricanes? Let us know in the comments below…

Photos: Getty Images UK
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COMMENTS

  • Crocky

    Cool but so scary

  • Lyla

    This informations helped me a lot i have a science presentation about hurricanes and because of those informations i got an a+

  • Libby

    This helped me a lot cuz I’m studying them for school

  • Anonymous

    This is cool

  • Love the facts about hurricanes

  • isabel

    my cousin in went to florida and survived hurricane milton

  • hi

    Huricane milton was pretty scary

  • 1waytomakemine

    I didn't think that the storm surge was going to be that high and my house was floded with me inside, but I'm glad I made it out.

  • sea Turtle lover will

    I've heard of hurricane hellene being a category 6 hurracane

  • Curtis

    Thanks for all the great facts guys,you rule!

  • Carley.R

    my family was in the hurricanes in Florida but I'm scared!

  • Lumen

    This is very interesting! I also am learning about in hurricanes in school right now!

  • Will

    These facts helped me learn a lot about hurricanes.

  • Harp

    I love hurricanes!

  • Landon

    they are soooooo cool

  • adam ;0

    it looks intristin and scary;0

  • Nora

    My grampa was in a Hurricane

  • Eva-Rosa

    Wow there was a hurricane the size of a country?!?!?!

  • Skylar

    Wow that is really cool. Hope one never hits my state.

  • Stella

    Hurricanes can be dangerous

  • Maddee

    This helped me learn so much about hurricanes!

  • no comment on name

    hurricanes seem like a extremely scary natural disaster

  • Slay

    Ya same hurricanes are horrible but extremely cool

  • Kaeleb Vivek Sampath

    I am working on a research project and i chose hurricanes, this was very helpful and informational this is why I love National Geographic. Kaeleb out!

  • Eliana zilmer-mile

    It helped me with my project tysm for helping

  • Raeden

    this helps me alot about my research thank you

  • $uperdino56

    Let's hope the Hurricanes in the future are not category 7 or something

  • NAthan

    Now I can become a storm chaser

  • Joe

    I never knew!

  • Katherine

    I've heard about the hurricane Milton in Florida. But it's cool to learn!!

  • Michael Angelo Valencia

    That scary hurricane I hope it wouldn't come me!

  • levi

    this helped me lot to learn about them

  • thehhe

    they are scary

  • Lailee

    Wow that scary and terrifying. My aunt is in Florida I can’t imagine how she would feel with my cousin max

  • this is the coolest website ever it helped my pass my test thank you

  • Hurricanes are Scary!

  • DurelGray

    I'm scerd of hurriccanes

  • Katyla

    I learned that hurricanes are very powerful and strong.

  • Isabella Hohn

    I love the photo graphs and i liked knowing about hurricane.

  • Micaela Stephens

    I like learning about hurricanes

  • Anthony Pineda

    Hurricanes are scary we are just so lucky we got to make it out of this one.