Hurricane Season: How do Tropical Storms form?

‘Tis the season! That’s hurricane season, of course. For residents along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, the development of a tropical cyclone is something they watch closely with angst.

Tropical storms develop into hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones, depending on your location, but how do they initially form?

These types of storms require a lot of heat and usually form close to the equator, where sea temperatures are at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm waters then heat the air above them, causing the air to rise rapidly. This is when it is often called a tropical wave.

As the air rises, it condenses into cumulonimbus clouds and, if conditions are just right, the clouds start to spin, creating an intense area of low pressure. This area will suck in the surrounding air causing very strong winds. Once the winds reach 39 miles per hour, a tropical storm is born.

As the winds continue to intensify, fed by the warm waters underneath, the tropical storm can intensify into a hurricane, cyclone, or typhoon. Once the storm moves over land, however, it starts to lose energy and eventually fades away.

Track what's going on in the tropics on our interactive WeatherRadar. Stay updated on our tropical forecasts in our Daily Briefing, published every weekday at 5 a.m. ET.