The anatomy of a hurricane

What makes a hurricane tick? Whether it’s a disheveled tropical depression or a picture-perfect category five swirling across the ocean like a buzzsaw, every tropical cyclone that forms on Earth has the same basic structure. These powerful storms are just as fragile as they are mighty, and there's a fine line between atmospheric fury and a flimsy blob of harmless clouds.

Ingredients

Tropical cyclones—the catch-all term for tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes—require four key ingredients in order to form: existing thunderstorms, warm water, moist air, and light winds.

The anatomy of a hurricane