Category:Hurricane

Hur"ri*cane, n. Etym: [Sp. hurracan; orig. a Carib word signifying, a high wind.]

Defn: A violent storm, characterized by extreme fury and sudden changes of the wind, and generally accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning; -- especially prevalent in the East and West Indies. Also used figuratively. Like the smoke in a hurricane whirl'd. Tennyson. Each guilty thought to me is A dreadful hurricane. Massinger. Hurricane bird (Zoöl.), the frigate bird. -- Hurricane deck. (Naut.) See under Deck.

Hurricanes are storms that draw their power from the Atlantic Ocean, eastern Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. Hurricanes rotate in a counterclockwise direction around an "eye", which is a calm area of the storm. Winds of 74 miles per hour are considered to be a hurricane. When the heavy winds come to land, they are strong enough to damage houses, buildings, cars, trees, and power lines. Many times they are accompanied by large, strong waves called a storm surge, which can wash away people, roads, houses, buildings, cars, and whole towns. This is why people should stay away from the ocean during a hurricane warning or hurricane.