How and why does a hurricane form? Watch the following video to find out.
Check your listening comprehension by doing this exercise. Bring the different processes of the formation of a hurricane into the right order. If you have difficulties to understand some of the words, have a look at the word list further down this page.
 
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  • Most hurricanes in the Atlantic begin as small atmospheric disturbances (so called "easterly waves").
     
  • The thunderstorms then travel west across the African continent, become better organised and rotate around each other.
     
  • When the thunderstorms encounter the warm water of the Atlantic, they convert the heat energy into mechanical energy of the winds.
     
  • The "easterly waves" create turbulent eddies, which develop into a cluster or thunderstorm.
     
  • When the winds reach 70 miles per hour, the storm develops an eye which is surrounded by an eye wall: A hurricane is born.
     
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Here you can find a list of important words for this topic. If you like, you can practise the words with the vocabulary trainer underneath.

Word List: hurricane

    • thunderstorm, thunderstorms(noun)
    • Definition:
      • storm with thunder and lightning
    • hurricane, hurricanes(noun)
    • Definition:
      • tropical storm
    • eddy, eddies(noun)
    • Definition:
      • a current of air or water running back, or in an opposite direction to the main current
    • cluster, clusters(noun)
    • Definition:
      • group or bunch of something
    • jet stream, jet streams(noun)
    • Definition:
      • air current
    • trigger(verb)
    • Definition:
      • to initiate something
    • rotate(verb)
    • Definition:
      • to spin, turn, or revolve
 

Vocabulary trainer

 
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thunderstorm
hurricane
eddy
cluster
trigger
rotate
 
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        Word and Definition

         
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        trigger
        to initiate something
        hurricane
        tropical storm
        jet stream
        air current
        cluster
        group or bunch of something
        eddy
        a current of air or water running back, or in an opposite direction to the main current
        rotate
        to spin, turn, or revolve
        thunderstorm
        storm with thunder and lightning
         
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