Hurricane

A Hurricane is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain. They may form (under the correct conditions) on any planet that contains oceans.

Depending on its location and strength, a hurricane is referred to by names such as typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression, and simply cyclone.

Hurricanes typically form over large bodies of relatively warm water. They derive their energy through the evaporation of water from the ocean surface, which ultimately recondenses into clouds and rain when moist air rises and cools to saturation. This energy source differs from that of mid-latitude cyclonic storms which are fueled primarily by horizontal temperature contrasts. The strong rotating winds of a hurricane are a result of the conservation of angular momentum imparted by the planet's rotation as air flows inwards toward the axis of rotation. As a result, they rarely form within 5° of the equator. hurricanes are typically between 100 and 4,000 km in diameter.

Tropical refers to the geographical origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively over tropical seas. Cyclone refers to their cyclonic nature, with wind blowing counterclockwise in the planet's Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. The opposite direction of circulation is due to the Coriolis effect.

In addition to strong winds and rain, hurricanes are capable of generating high waves, damaging storm surge, and tornadoes. They typically weaken rapidly over land where they are cut off from their primary energy source. For this reason, coastal regions are particularly vulnerable to damage from a hurricane as compared to inland regions. Heavy rains, however, can cause significant flooding inland, and storm surges can produce extensive coastal flooding up to 40 kilometers from the coastline. Though their effects on sentient populations are often devastating, hurricanes can relieve drought conditions. They also carry heat energy away from the tropics and transport it toward temperate latitudes, which may play an important role in modulating regional and global climate.