Outside a Hurricane

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Hurricanes are big — usually 320-480 km (200-300 mi) across. And they're powerful. In one day, a hurricane makes enough energy to provide the U.S. with electricity for six months!

But a hurricane starts out as just a bunch of thunderstorms in the tropics (area near the equator). If the thick clouds start to slowly turn in a circle, then it's a tropical depression. And if the winds blow faster than 62 km (39 mi) per hour, it becomes a tropical storm — and gets an official name.

Only if the tropical storm's winds hit at least 118 km (74 mi) per hour is the storm crowned a hurricane. All this takes about a week, if it happens at all. Only about one out of ten tropical depressions actually becomes a hurricane.

October, 1992

Hurricanes
Find out the processes by which hurricanes are formed, and get some fast facts about these storms that occur mainly between June and November.

Snow and Blizzards
Where does it snow the most in the United States? What causes a Nor'easter and how often do they occur? Meteorlogists answer students' questions about winter weather.

Clothing and Insulation
Find out the kinds of clothing--both traditional and modern--that are worn in the Arctic regions. Topics include the similarities of caribou skin clothing and modern layering systems.

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