Atlantic Hurricane Foundations and Trends

Definition and formation region

An Atlantic hurricane is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Atlantic Ocean, primarily between June and November. It develops from organized systems of clouds and thunderstorms over tropical or subtropical waters, with a closed low-level circulation around a low-pressure center. The term “hurricane” is used in the North Atlantic (as opposed to “typhoon” in the Western Pacific). Formation is most common in warm ocean waters several hundred miles north of the equator near the Intertropical Convergence Zone, where tropical waves can trigger cyclogenesis. The Coriolis force is generally too weak near the equator to initiate sufficient rotation, so formation typically occurs farther north. Common formation regions include the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, the tropical Atlantic Ocean, and as far east as the Cape Verde Islands (Cape Verde hurricanes). Storms can also intensify over the Gulf Stream when sea-surface temperatures exceed about 26.5°C (79.7°F). Occasionally, cyclones form farther north and east through baroclinically induced processes (e.g., disturbances like cold fronts and upper-level lows) rather than classic tropical-wave initiation.

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Rotating low-pressure structure and organization

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