Q: What is a hurricane?

Arabia Weather - A cyclone is an area of low air pressure characterized by spiral winds that rotate counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere, and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere. Hurricanes form in areas of low air pressure, attracting winds from the surrounding areas. During a hurricane, the winds take a spiral shape with the center of the hurricane as an area of very low air pressure. The phenomena starts out stormy and turns into a hurricane when wind speeds exceed 119 kilometers per hour.

A cyclone originates over the warm waters of the oceans in the tropics, between 5 and 20 degrees north and south latitude of the equator in the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans. This type of cyclone is known as a tropical cyclone, and is formed as a result of the interaction of cold, high-pressure air with warm, low-pressure, stable air.