Hurricanes and tropical storms help keep the atmosphere in balance.
WASHINGTON — Every year, hurricanes slam coastlines worldwide with fierce winds and huge waves. These powerful storms can be very destructive, with some packing winds of 185 mph.
So you may be surprised to learn that hurricanes are actually necessary. They help move heat away from the hot equator to cooler places, balancing the Earth’s temperature. And they don’t even have to hit land to do their job.
Think of hurricanes like giant heat engines. They start over warm ocean water, pulling up warm, moist air. As this air rises and cools, it forms rain and clouds, releasing heat that fuels the storm. The hurricane then carries this heat away from the tropics, spreading warmth to cooler areas.
Hurricanes release massive amounts of energy, enough to power the entire world during a single storm.
“During just one hurricane, raging winds can churn out about half as much energy as the electrical generating capacity of the entire world, while cloud and rain formation from the same storm might release a staggering 400 times that amount,” The National Ocean Service wrote on it’s website.
If we didn’t have hurricanes, heat would build up near the equator while cold air would stay around the poles, throwing off Earth’s climate.
Plus, hurricanes stir the ocean, bringing up cold, nutrient-rich water that helps tiny ocean plants grow and keeps the water healthy for sea life.
It would be better if these storms could stay out to sea rather slamming into land to get their job done, but they do play a vital role in earth’s balance.
Published Date : 2025-09-13 13:19:00
Source : www.wusa9.com
