2. Moist air and heat are necessary for hurricanes to start and
to keep on going. As the surface of the ocean heats up, the water goes up into the air.
This warm air becomes moist. It starts to form a column. The air around rushes toward
the column and forms a spiral around it. The system is called cyclone. As the column of
air becomes warmer, the winds blow faster. If the storm reaches 119 kph, a hurricane is
born. Hurricanes often cover areas up to 300 kilometers wide. They may last a few hours
or for two weeks. They cause heavy rains that swell and overflow rivers. The strong winds
produce floods.​