Hurricane

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Hurricane

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun

Pronunciation

HUR-ih-kayn  /ˈhʌrɪkeɪn/

Definition

A large, rotating tropical storm system with very high winds and heavy rain, forming over warm ocean waters, particularly in the North Atlantic and Northeast Pacific; specifically one with sustained wind speeds of 74 mph (119 km/h) or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale; more broadly, any violent storm or commotion.

Plain meaning

A hurricane is the most powerful type of tropical storm, with circular rotating winds of at least 74 miles per hour. They form over warm tropical ocean water and can cause catastrophic damage when they make landfall. The same type of storm is called a typhoon in the Pacific and a cyclone in the Indian Ocean and Southern Hemisphere.

Register

Neutral in meteorological contexts. Hurricane is used in weather forecasting, climate science, and everyday usage. In British English, the Great Storm of 1987 is sometimes called the hurricane though technically it was an extratropical cyclone. Figuratively, a hurricane of activity or criticism is informal use.