Called the greatest storm on Earth, a hurricane is capable of annihilating coastal areas with sustained winds of 155 mph or higher and intense areas of rainfall and a storm surge. The term hurricane is derived from Huracan, a god of evil recognized by the Tainos, an ancient aborigines Central American tribe. In other parts of the world, hurricanes are known by different names. In the western Pacific and China Sea area, hurricanes are known as typhoons, from the Cantonese tai-fung, meaning great wind. In Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Australia, they are known as cyclones, and finally, in the Philippines, they are known as baguios.
Hurricanes form in late summer and early fall when ocean waters are warmest.
Tropical disturbances most commonly form in one of three different ways, all of which involve the convergence of surface winds. Occasionally, a cluster of thunderstorms will break away from the ITCZ and become better organized. Another mechanism is the convergence of air that occurs along a mid-latitude frontal boundary that has made its way into the Gulf of Mexico or off the East Coast of Florida. The last mechanism is the easterly wave, a tropical disturbance that travels from east to west in the region of the tropical easterlies. Converging winds on the east side of the easterly wave trigger the development of thunderstorms.