Dear Tom,
If hurricanes occur in various parts of the ocean, why are they always drawn toward land?
KG
Dear KG,
Hurricanes form over ocean waters whose temperature is at least 80(degrees)–the minimum temperature necessary to provide them with the thermal energy they require. Tropical and subtropical ocean waters provide that environment, and that’s where they form.
Once in existence, however, hurricanes move in response to the wind streams that surround them. The location of land masses, nearby or distant to them, has no influence on their movement.
Some hurricanes dissipate before they make landfall, but the Earth’s geography is such that large land masses (such as Asia and North America) and many islands lie within the zones that hurricanes routinely traverse.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
