A Hurricane's Life
Hurricanes get their start over Africa. The swirling storms are fueled by wet weather, winds and warm ocean waters.

1. Born in West Africa
When hot, dry air from the Sahara desert meets cooler, moist air from the Sahel region to the south, small storms form.

2. Across the Atlantic
Some storms remain small. But a few gather warm ocean moisture, speeding up as they travel west. When bands of these thunderstorms form a swirling pattern, the system is called a tropical depression.

3. Tropical storms and hurricanes
If the storm holds together, a column-shaped "eye" forms at its center. Winds spin around it, faster and faster. When winds reach 40 miles per hour, the system is called a tropical storm. When winds reach 74 miles per hour, it's a hurricane.

4. After the storm
Hurricanes weaken after they reach land. Some never hit land, but instead turn northeast and die out over the Atlantic Ocean.

Watch a BrainPOP movie about hurricanes.

Learn more about hurricanes on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website.