Which of the following are the correct conditions needed for a hurricane to form?

A. High pressure, water temperatures over 27° C (80° F), and low wind shear
Incorrect. Water temperatures do need to be over 27°C (80°F) and the wind shear does need to be low, but pressure does not need to be high in order for a hurricane to form.

B. Low pressure, water temperatures over 27° C (80° F), and low wind shear
Correct!

C. Low pressure, water temperatures over 27° C (80° F), and high wind shear
Incorrect. Pressure does need to be low and water temperatures do need to be over 27°C (80°F), but wind shear does not need to be high in order for hurricanes to form.

D. High pressure, water temperatures less than 27° C (80° F), and high wind shear
Incorrect. None of these are the correct condition for a hurricane to form.

What is the fuel that keeps a hurricane alive?

A. Land
Incorrect. When a hurricane reaches land, it begins to weaken.

B. Cold water
Incorrect. When a hurricane reaches cold water it begins to weaken.

C. Warm water
Correct!

D. Wind
Incorrect. Hurricanes produce winds but they do not fuel them.

What is the correct order for development of a hurricane?

A. Tropical disturbance, tropical storm, tropical depression, and tropical cyclone or hurricane
Incorrect. That is not the correct order for the development of a hurricane.

B. Tropical depression, tropical storm, tropical disturbance, and tropical cyclone or hurricane
Incorrect. That is not the correct order for the development of a hurricane.

C. Tropical depression, tropical disturbance, tropical storm, and tropical cyclone or hurricane
Incorrect. That is not the correct order for the development of a hurricane.

D. Tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm, and tropical cyclone or hurricane
Correct!

Which of the following describes the area where hurricanes form?

A. Near the poles of the Earth
Incorrect. Hurricanes do not form near the poles of the Earth.

B. Over the Arctic ocean
Incorrect. Hurricanes do not form over the Arctic Ocean as the water temperature is too cold.

C. Over the northern Atlantic Ocean
Incorrect. Hurricanes do not form in the northern Atlantic ocean as the water temperatures are too cold.

D. Near the equator
Correct!

Tropical cyclones or hurricanes are pushed by the __________________ west toward the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, or the southeastern coast of the United States.

A. Westerlies
Incorrect. Westerlies flow toward the poles.

B. Polar easterlies
Incorrect. Polar easterlies are wind belts that extend from the poles to 60 degrees latitude.

C. Trade winds
Correct! Trade winds are winds that blow from 30 degrees latitude to the equator.

D. Jet stream
Incorrect. The jet stream is a fast flowing river of air found in the atmosphere around 12 km above the surface of the Earth.