Image source: dsc.nrsc.gov.in
Hurricanes are one of the most calamitous acts of nature, also known as cyclones or typhoons, it is more of a regional nomenclature than a scientific one, the exact scientific name is Tropical Cyclones.
Scientifically, tropical cyclones are swirling storms with a low pressure center, and in extreme cases wind speeds can reach to values more than 250 km/h. It has been proved that three essential ingredients are required for their formation, in brief they are, tropical ocean waters with surface temperature 26.5 ºC or higher coupled with high humid conditions, light upper level winds and most importantly an already existing thunderstorm disturbance.
Although their formation mechanism is not discussed in form of text, an interactive animation is presented at the end of this post. Below is a wonderful infographic discussing the anatomy of a hurricane.
Click for full infographic
Image Source: infographicworld.com
The infographic is pretty clear enough but in case you are wondering about the surge mentioned in the Saffir-Simpson scale, it is the abnormal rise of sea water by the force of winds swirling around the eye. And here is the interactive animation I mentioned earlier on hurricanes, their
formation and destructive power.
Flash movie source: bbc.com
