THE HURRICANE

Terrance peered cautiously out the window of his family’s summer cottage. Even though it was noon, there was no sign of light. Dark, tumbling clouds took over the sky, robbing the sun of any chance it had of illuminating the yard in front of the cottage. Long powerful fingers of lightning shot across the clouds, and Terrance could hear the constant rumble of thunder in the distance. This particular storm would become a hurricane, a severe tropical storm that feeds off the evaporation of warm ocean water and moisture. With the right conditions, hurricanes can grow powerful enough to create dangerous winds, huge waves, and torrential downpours. Terrance noticed that the wind was getting stronger. A set of wind chimes, which normally hung peacefully on the patio, were flailing violently, crashing together to create a chaotic sound. Hurricanes produce winds of at least 74 miles per hour, so the wind would surely get even stronger as the storm grew nearer. In order for a hurricane to form, there must be pre-existing thunderstorms. These thunderstorms combine to form a larger storm by feeding off warm ocean waters (of at least 80ºF). Light winds above the storm are also a necessary condition for the formation of a hurricane. When wind speed reaches 74 mph and above, the storm becomes classified as a hurricane. If the wind speed is below 38 mph, the storm is classified as a tropical depression. Storms with wind speeds of 39-73 mph are called tropical storms. The storm clouds of a hurricane circulate in a counterclockwise* rotation around an eye in the center of the storm.