Hurricane winds side view Heavy rains fall from the eyewall and bands of dense clouds that swirl around the eyewall. The hurricane draws large amounts of heat and moisture from the sea. The path of a hurricane Hurricanes last an average of 3 to 14 days. Hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere usually begin by traveling from east to west. As the storms approach the coast of North America or Asia, however, they shift to a more northerly direction.
Most hurricanes turn gradually northwest, north, and finally northeast.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the storms may travel westward at first and then turn southwest, south, and finally southeast. The path of an individual hurricane is irregular and often difficult to predict. All hurricanes eventually move toward higher latitudes where there is colder air, less moisture, and greater wind shears. These conditions cause the storm to weaken and die out. The end comes quickly if a hurricane moves over land, because it no longer receives heat energy and moisture from warm tropical water.