Hurricanes are intense tropical cyclones that form over warm ocean waters and are characterized by a low-pressure center, organized deep convection, and strong cyclonic surface winds. They derive energy from latent heat released during condensation within deep convective clouds, requiring sea surface temperatures typically above ~26–27 °C, sufficient Coriolis force to initiate rotation, and weak vertical wind shear to maintain structural integrity. Hurricanes exhibit a warm-core structure, an eye and eyewall, and spiral rainbands, and are classified by maximum sustained wind speed. They are central topics in atmospheric science, climate research, and risk modeling due to their role in heat transport, extreme precipitation, storm surge, and high-wind hazards.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a video update and press release on its study of Hurricane Maria's impacts on Puerto Rico.
Environment
Jul 15, 2025
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In the fall of 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the southeastern U.S., later downgrading to a tropical storm causing strong winds, flooding and major destruction throughout Appalachia. Now, researchers and public health ...
Environment
Jul 14, 2025
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Tropical cyclones (TCs) rank among the most destructive weather phenomena, often bringing intense winds, heavy rainfall, and massive storm surges.
Earth Sciences
Jul 9, 2025
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As the Texas flooding death toll reached 95 on July 6—at least 27 of them children—and Tropical Storm Chantal prompted dozens of water rescues in North Carolina, some Floridians were reminded of the disastrous "rain bomb" ...
Environment
Jul 8, 2025
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Typhoon Danas battered Taiwan's west coast early Monday, killing two people, injuring hundreds and leaving nearly 400,000 households without electricity, authorities said.
Environment
Jul 7, 2025
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About 600 miles off the west coast of Africa, large clusters of thunderstorms begin organizing into tropical storms every hurricane season. They aren't yet in range of Hurricane Hunter flights, so forecasters at the National ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 3, 2025
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A recently published study in the journal BioScience reveals that endangered longleaf pine ecosystems—among North America's most biodiverse habitats—face mounting threats from intensifying hurricane regimes driven by climate ...
Environment
Jun 30, 2025
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday it is delaying by one month the planned cutoff of satellite data that helps forecasters track hurricanes.
Environment
Jun 30, 2025
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Hurricane Helene lasted only a few days in September 2024, but it altered the landscape of the Southeastern U.S. in profound ways that will affect the hazards local residents face far into the future.
Earth Sciences
Jun 28, 2025
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A new review published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences sheds light on one of climate science's enduring puzzles: how the patterns of tropical ocean warming influence the behavior of tropical cyclones (TCs) in a warming ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 26, 2025
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