Natural Disaster: Hurricanes — Passage and Quiz

Hurricanes are huge, swirling storms that form over warm ocean waters. They're also called tropical cyclones or typhoons in different parts of the world. These storms can be hundreds of miles wide and have very strong winds and heavy rain.

The center of a hurricane is called the eye, where it's actually calm and clear. But around the eye is the eyewall, where the strongest winds and heaviest rains are found. Hurricanes can cause a lot of damage with high winds, heavy rain, and storm surges that push seawater onto land.

Scientists track hurricanes using satellites and special airplanes that fly into the storms. They give hurricanes names and rank them from Category 1 to 5, with 5 being the strongest. This helps people understand how dangerous each storm might be.

When a hurricane is coming, people in its path need to prepare. This might mean boarding up windows, stocking up on supplies, or evacuating to a safer place. After a hurricane passes, it can take a long time for communities to recover and rebuild.