My Science School

A hurricane is a huge, whirling circle of wind and rain. But in the centre of all this wind and rain, the air is calm. This calm hole is called the eye of the hurricane.

A hurricane begins over the ocean, near the equator, where the air is very hot, wet, and still. The heated air begins to rise and whirl around. As the great masses of the air rise up, towering rain clouds form.

The winds swirl faster in a giant circle around the centre of calm, warm air. The storm is called a hurricane when its winds are stronger than 119 kilometres per hour.

Some people in the path of a hurricane experience what seems like two storms. First, the front of the circle hits. The blowing wind and rushing rain sound like steady thunder.

After the front of the circle passes over, the eye of the hurricane arrives. The wind dies down. The rain stops. The air grows hot and still. It may take an hour or more for the eye to pass over. Then the back of the circle arrives. Once more, the wind blows and the rain pours. Finally, the hurricane passes, carrying the wind and rain to another place.

Picture Credit : Google