Hurricane

A hurricane is a regionally specific name for a strong tropical cyclone. A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of over 33 metres per second (about 64 knots, or 74 mph) is referred to as a "hurricane" in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, and the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E. Tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds over this limit are referred to by other names in other regions, such as "typhoon", "severe tropical cyclone", "severe cyclonic storm", and just plain old "tropical cyclone".

Hurricanes are traditionally given names, such as Hurricane Andrew or Hurricane Betty. The names are always given strictly alphabetically, with the first hurricane of any particular year being given a name that begins with the letter "A" and the second being given a name that begins with "B," and so on. This sequence is restarted at A again at the beginning of every year, though the names themselves vary from year to year. The lists of names are prepared in advance, and reused periodically, except that the names of particularly destructive storms are "retired".

Satellite image:

File:Hurricane from satellite sm.jpg

See tropical cyclone for further discussion.