What are the ingredients to make a hurricane?

Answer 1

The ingredients for hurricane development are warm ocean water (at least 80 degrees F), moist air, an environment of little wind shear, sufficient distance from the equator, and an area of disturbed weather to set it all off.

Answer 2

A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low pressure centre and several thunderstorms which that produce violent winds and rain. Tropical cyclones feed on heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of the vapour contained in the moist air. The term 'tropical' refers to both the geographic origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively in tropical regions, and their formation. The term 'cyclone' refers to such storms cyclonic nature, with a rotation that is counterclockwise north of the equator and clockwise south of the equator. Depending on its location and strength, a tropical cyclone is referred to by many other names, such as hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression, and simply cyclone. Categories: Winds 23-39mph: tropical depression Winds 40-74mph: tropical storm Winds 75-95mph: category 1 hurricane Winds 96-110mph: category 2 hurricane Winds111-130mph: category 3 hurricane Winds131-155mph: category 4 hurricane Winds > 156mph: catergory 5 hurricane Related links:http://www.weather.com/newscenter/hurricanecentral/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane

Answer 3

Hurricanes only form over really warm ocean water of 80°F or warmer. The atmosphere (the air) must cool off very quickly the higher you go. Also, the wind must be blowing in the same direction and at the same speed so as not to disrupt formation. Winds flow outward above the storm allowing the air below to rise. Hurricanes typically form between 5 to 15 degrees latitude north and south of the equator. The Coriolis Effect is needed to create the spin in the hurricane and it becomes too weak near the equator, so hurricanes can never form there. Finally, an area of disturbed weather is needed to act as the "seed" that sets everything in motion.

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The formation of tropical systems requires certain conditions. The easiest way to explain this would be the formation of a Cape Verde hurricane. When this happens, a tropical wave will move off of the coast of Africa and into the Atlantic Ocean. The water temperature (especially during the Cape Verde season) is quite warm, and that heat is the life source that the storm will feed on to grow.

The tropical wave will move westward across the Atlantic Ocean, continuing over warm water. At this time, the storms associated with the system may be unorganized and scattered, but persistent. As development continues, the tropical wave (also referred to as a tropical disturbance) will organize itself. A low pressure center will become apparent as time progresses. This low pressure center may relocate itself a few times during this process. As further organization continues, the thunderstorm activity associated with the disturbance will wrap around the low pressure center completely. This is the first necessary step for the disturbance to be upgraded to a tropical depression. In addition to the closed circulation, the system must develop winds that have a sustained 1 minute speed of up to 38 mph. In review, the disturbance maintained its' characteristics for at least 24 hours, developed a center of circulation surrounded completely by thunderstorms (referred to as a closed circulation) and has sustained winds up to 38 mph, thus becoming a tropical depression.

The tropical depression continues its journey across the Atlantic, and may become better organized. This further organization will occur if: sea surface temperatures continue to be warm enough to fuel the tropical development, there is little to no wind shear in the upper levels of the atmosphere, and the system center does not interact with any land areas. Should the above conditions be true, the system will feed off of the warm ocean temperatures, becoming more organized, forming more thunderstorms both around its' center and spreading outward from its' center. Wind speeds within the storm will rise, and once they reach 39 mph sustained, the storm will then become a tropical storm and will receive a name. This development can continue in this manner, with the storm reaching hurricane strength once the winds reach 74 mph, and continue onward, possibly reaching category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson Hurrican Scale, with winds of at least 156 mph.

Answer 4

The ingredients to make a hurricane are: warm ocean water, warm and humid air, little to no wind shear, and a disturbance to serve as a starting point.

Answer 5

1. Warm ocean water
2. Warm, moist air
3. Sufficient Coriolis force (dependent on latitude)
4. little to no wind shear
5. An area of disturbed weather.