Hurricane Facts for kids are interesting and a good read for teachers or students who want to learn more about hurricanes. If you are a teacher, student or hurricane enthusiast, you have come to the right page for hurricane facts.
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Now that you are here, find some good hurricane facts below.
18 Hurricane Facts for Kids
- Hurricanes are huge tropical storms that produce hefty rainfall and super-strong winds.
- Hurricanes form over warm ocean waters near the equator. The warm, moist air above the ocean surface rises, causing air from surrounding areas to be “sucked” in. This “new” air then turn into warm and moist, and also rise, starting a nonstop cycle that forms clouds. The clouds then rotate with the spin of the Earth. If there is enough warm water to feed the storm, a hurricane forms!
- Hurricanes revolve round a circular center called the “eye“, where it is generally calm with no clouds. The most dangerous part of the hurricane with the strongest winds, thickest clouds and heaviest rain is the eye wall (Surrounding the eye).
- The eye of a hurricane can be anywhere from 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) in diameter to over 200 miles (320 kilometers) but they are usually around 30 miles (48 kilometers). The winds around the eye of a hurricane are usually the strongest.
- Other names for a hurricane include cyclone, typhoon and tropical storm. While they are essentially the same thing, the different names usually indicate where the storm took place.
- Heavy rain as well as violent winds, hurricanes can also create tornadoes, high waves and widespread flooding.
- Hurricanes are regions of low atmospheric pressure (also known as a depression).
- The Bhola Cyclone, which struck Bangladesh in 1970, killed at least 300,000 people, and possibly up to a million (records were also destroyed, so it’s hard to know exact numbers).
- Hurricane Katrina, the storm that destroyed New Orleans, USA in 2005, killed over 1800 people and caused over 100 billion dollars in damages.
- The hurricane with the highest ever recorded wind speeds was Super-Typhoon Tip that occurred in 1979, the great storm of over 2000km wide, winds clocked at 310 km/h (190 miles per hour) and affected Guam, Japan and Soviet Union (Russian federation).
- Tropical Storm Marco, which hit Veracruz, Mexico in 2008, was the smallest hurricane ever recorded, at only 37km in diameter.
- Most hurricanes occur harmlessly out at sea. However, while they move towards land they can be extremely hazardous and cause serious damages.
- The strong spiraling winds of a hurricane can reach speeds of up to 320kmph – strong enough to rip up entire trees and destroy buildings!
- Hurricanes rotate in a clockwise direction in the southern hemisphere, and rotate in an anti-clockwise direction in the northern hemisphere. This is due to what’s called the Coriolis Force, produced by the Earth’s rotation.
- When a hurricane reaches land it often produces a “storm surge“. This is when the great winds drive the sea toward the shore, causing water levels to rise and creating large crashing waves. Storm surges can also reach 6m high and extend to over 150km!
- Hurricanes usually form in tropical areas of the world.
- Hurricanes develop over warm water and use it as an energy source.
- The largest hurricane on record is Typhoon Tip, which occurred in 1979 in the northwest Pacific. With a diameter of around 2,220km, it was nearly half the size of the United States!
If you live in a region where a hurricane is likely to strike in its season, please read some hurricane safety tips on this website. Also find on our website the different categories of hurricanes and their meaning.