A hurricane is a very strong storm that over the sea. It brings heavy rain, strong , and can cause a lot of damage when reaches land. But how does a hurricane begin?

start over warm ocean water. The sea surface to be at least 26 degrees Celsius (about degrees Fahrenheit) for a hurricane to form. Warm heats the air above it. The hot air into the sky and creates an area of pressure near the sea surface. More air around low-pressure area begins to move in to replace rising air. This new air also becomes warm rises. As the warm, moist air goes up, cools and forms clouds.

The rising air and release heat energy. This makes the surrounding air and rise even faster. The cycle continues: warm rises, cooler air moves in, and more clouds . Slowly, a large system of clouds and storms .

Because the Earth rotates, the moving air begins spin. In the Northern Hemisphere, hurricanes spin counterclockwise. the Southern Hemisphere, they spin clockwise. The faster air spins, the stronger the storm becomes. If winds reach 119 kilometers per hour (74 miles hour), the storm is called a hurricane.

Over ocean, a hurricane grows stronger because it keeps energy from the warm water. But when it over land or colder water, it loses energy becomes weaker. Even so, hurricanes can still cause , destroy houses, and endanger lives.

Hurricanes show us great power of nature. By studying how they , scientists can give warnings to protect people before storm arrives.