Understanding the formation and impact of hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean.

Hurricane Alley is an area of warm water in the Atlantic Ocean stretching from the west coast of Northern Africa to the east coast of Central America and Gulf Coast of the Southern United States. Many hurricanes form in this region. The sea surface temperature of the Atlantic in Hurricane Alley has been steadily increasing over the past few decades, which is a major factor in the formation and strengthening of tropical cyclones.

Hurricanes are the most violent storms on Earth. They form near the equator over warm ocean waters. Technically, they are tropical cyclones. But they are known as hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. In the western Pacific, they are called typhoons. In the Indian Ocean, they are called cyclones.