What is the fuel source for hurricanes?

• A. Cold ocean water fuels hurricanes
• B. High altitude winds fuel hurricanes
• C. Warm ocean water fuels hurricanes
• D. Heavy rainfall fuels hurricanes

Answer: (C)

Warm ocean water provides the energy that powers hurricanes. When sea surface temperatures are high, water evaporates into moist air that rises. As this air ascends, it cools and water vapor condenses, releasing latent heat. That heat release fuels stronger convection, intensifies the storm’s updrafts, and helps build and sustain the powerful winds of the hurricane.

If the water is cold, there isn’t enough heat and moisture to fuel the storm, so it weakens or struggles to form. High altitude winds can influence a hurricane’s path and structure, but they don’t supply the energy for the storm. Heavy rainfall is a consequence of the intense convection driven by the warm-water energy, not the source of the energy itself.