What Is a Hurricane?
Join Owlo and Koko as they explore hurricanes, learning about their formation and power in a fun and engaging way.
About this story
Join Owlo and Koko as they explore hurricanes, learning about their formation and power in a fun and engaging way.
What you'll learn
- Understand what a hurricane is
- Learn how hurricanes form
- Discover why hurricanes spin
Owlo! Owlo! Did you see the news this morning? There was a huge spinning storm over the ocean!
I did see that, Koko. It looked quite powerful, didn't it? That spinning storm has a special name.
It does? What is it called?
It is called a hurricane. And funny enough, I was just thinking we should learn more about them today.
A hurricane! That sounds a little scary. What even is a hurricane?
A hurricane is a very large, very powerful storm. It starts over warm ocean water and spins in a giant circle.
Why does it spin? Storms near my house don't spin like that.
That is such a sharp observation, Koko. Let's head to the science lab. I think I can show you something there.
Here we go. Now, you see this globe and this bowl of water? Watch what happens when I stir the water in a circle.
Oh wow, it keeps spinning even after you stop! It doesn't just stop right away.
Exactly! Warm air over the ocean rises up very fast. As it rises, cooler air rushes in to replace it.
And that rushing air is what makes it spin?
Yes! And the spinning of the Earth itself helps push that air into a big circular shape. Scientists call that the Coriolis effect.
Core-ee-OH-lis. That is a very fancy word. What does it mean exactly?
It means the Earth's spin gives moving air and water a gentle curve. Over a big storm, that curve turns into a full spin.
So the Earth is kind of helping make the hurricane? That is wild.
It really is remarkable. Now, have you ever heard the word eye used to describe a storm?
The eye? Like, the storm has an eye? Can it see me?
Not quite, Koko. The eye is the very center of the hurricane. It is actually calm and quiet in there, with almost no wind.
Wait, the middle of a giant scary storm is calm? That seems backwards.
It does seem that way! But all around that calm eye is a thick ring of the strongest winds and heaviest rain. That ring is called the eyewall.
So it is calm in the middle, but really dangerous all around it. I would not want to be near that eyewall part.
That is very wise thinking. The winds in a hurricane can be faster than a racing car on a highway.
Faster than a racing car! How do people know when a hurricane is coming so they can stay safe?
Scientists called meteorologists watch the ocean very carefully using satellites and special tools. They can track a hurricane days before it reaches land.
So people get a warning and have time to move somewhere safe?
Exactly right. When a hurricane warning is given, families in that area are told to prepare or move to a safer place. That is called an evacuation.
Evacuation. That means leaving your home to stay safe somewhere else, right?
Perfectly said. It can be hard to leave home, but it is the smartest thing to do when a big storm is coming.
I think I would be scared, but also I would want to keep my family safe. So I would go.
That is exactly the right attitude, Koko. Bravery is not about feeling no fear. It is about doing the right thing even when you are scared.
Owlo, do hurricanes happen everywhere in the world?
They happen in several parts of the world, but they need warm ocean water to form. So they mostly happen in tropical regions near the equator.
And do they have different names in different places?
Great question! The same kind of storm is called a typhoon in parts of Asia, and a cyclone in the Indian Ocean. But they are all the same type of storm.
So hurricane, typhoon, cyclone — all cousins of the same big spinning storm family!
That is a wonderful way to put it. Now, I think you have learned quite a lot today. Can you tell me what you remember?
Okay! A hurricane is a giant spinning storm that starts over warm ocean water. Warm air goes up, cool air rushes in, and the Earth's spin makes it go in a circle.
The middle is called the eye and it is actually calm, but the eyewall around it has the strongest winds. Scientists called meteorologists track them so people can evacuate and stay safe.
Oh, and they have different names in different places — typhoon, cyclone — but they are all the same kind of storm. Next I want to learn about tornadoes, because I think they are the hurricane's smaller, spinnier cousin!
That was a perfect summary, Koko. And tornadoes are a wonderful idea for next time. You never stop being curious, and that makes me very proud.
