Hurricanes are rotating tropical storms with extremely low pressure centers. Warm, moist tropical air feeds energy into these storms. As they grow in strength, their rotation creates high winds. The storms push mounds of water ahead as they advance. This is called a storm surge.
Heavy rain can cause flooding.
A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when wind speeds reach 74 miles per hour. Winds spiral upward in hurricanes, fastest in the eye wall. But in the eye itself, air sinks and warms suppressing clouds, clearing the air. Home Inquiries should be made to the VASC Webmaster .