Hurricanes: Engines of the Ocean

Imagine a storm so big it can be seen from the Moon. Hurricanes (also called typhoons or cyclones) are the most powerful weather events on our planet. They are essentially giant heat engines that take energy from the warm ocean and turn it into screaming winds and torrential rain.

The 'fuel' for a hurricane is warm ocean water (at least $26.5°C$ or $80°F$). As the Sun heats the sea, massive amounts of water evaporate, creating a giant cloud of warm, wet air. As this air rises, it creates a 'hole' or low-pressure area below it, which sucks in more air from the sides.

Just like a tornado, a hurricane needs to spin. Because the Earth is rotating, it pulls the air rushing toward the center into a spiral. This is the Coriolis Effect in action. In the Northern Hemisphere, hurricanes always spin counter-clockwise, while in the Southern Hemisphere, they spin clockwise.