Storms | How Hurricanes Form

The source of a hurricane's energy is derived from warmer than average ocean water along the equator and a corresponding higher level of humidity. In simplified terms, a low-pressure area is created when water-laden clouds release heavy rains as the warm air rises. Surface air spirals inward and upward in a counter-clockwise direction to fill the partial vacuum, reaching tens of thousands of feet above sea level to become the hurricane's eye. While the eye is almost calm and is often exposed to blue sky, the winds nearest the eye are strongest. More lives are claimed by storm surge and flooding than by the winds of a hurricane.