Tropical Storms start between 5º and 30º north and south of the equator, where surface sea temperatures reach at least 26.5ºC., Air is heated above the surface of these warm tropical oceans. The warm air rises rapidly under low-pressure conditions., The rising air draws up more airing large volumes of moisture from the ocean, causing strong winds., The Coriolis effect (spinning movement of the Earth) causes the air to spin upwards around a calm central eye of the storm., As the air rises, it cools and condenses to form large, towering cumulonimbus clouds, which generate torrential rainfall. Heat is given off when the air cools and powers the tropical storm., Cool air sinks into the eye. Therefore, there is no cloud, so it is drier, clear and much calmer., The tropical storm travels across the ocean by the prevailing wind., When the tropical storm meets land, it is no longer fuelled by the source of the moisture and heat from the ocean, so it loses power and weakens..

How does a hurricane form?

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