Making a hurricane

According to the National Hurricane Center, the season for these sometimes dangerous storms runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. This week, The Mini Page learns more about hurricanes.

These storms need the following elements to form: higher than normal atmospheric pressure above the forming storm. (Atmospheric pressure is the pounds of air per square inch.)

warm ocean waters (at least 80 degrees).

moisture from the evaporating warm waters. warm rising air. winds meeting at the surface of the ocean. winds blowing mostly from the same direction at the same speed and height. a wind that blows so it makes the air go in circles and spiral inward.

Hurricane stages

Weather experts carefully watch the development of storms over the ocean. They have given each stage a name, depending on the strength of the winds.

1. Tropical depression: Clouds and thunderstorms swirl in a circle with winds of up to 38 mph.

2. Tropical storm: to 73 mph.

3. Hurricane:

Swirling winds reach 39

Winds reach at least 74 mph.

A hurricane brings:

• Storm surges, huge domes of water that might stretch as wide as 100 miles and be as high as 25 feet when they reach land. This is the most dangerous part of a hurricane.

• High winds destroy mobile homes and can damage buildings. As a hurricane moves inland, the winds can keep blowing and cause damage hundreds of miles from shore.

• Heavy rain and floods along the shore and inland.

• Tornadoes that add to the wind and rain damage.

• bit.ly/mphurricane

• scijinks.gov/hurricane/

• “Hurricanes!” by Gail Gibbons

• “Eye of the Storm: NASA, Drones and the Race to Crack the Hurricane Code” by Amy Cherrix