When meteorologists talk about hurricanes and the eye of the hurricane, what are they talking about?

Question

The eye is easily defined. Is that the calm in between the storm? Also, they say that the more defined the eye is, the more powerful the hurricane is. Is that true? and if it is, why?

thank you

Answer 1

the more calm the eye is the more powerful the storm is.

Answer 2

the eye of the storm is the part you see on satelite images in the center of the hurricane.

from space its like a hole in the clouds.

yes the eye is the calm conditions in the center of a storm, and also most of the time the better defined an eye is the stronger the winds by the eye wall

Answer 3

A hurricane is basically a massive meteorological "heat engine" that derives it's energy from the high amount of heat released by condensation of water vapor.  That is why they form over the warm and humid tropical waters, where this energy is the greatest.  As they strengthen, the winds strengthen and converge around the center, where the air then rises around the center.  The eye forms when air actually sinks and dries, thus removing the clouds.  Around the eye exists the powerful winds and storms, known as the eyewall, while inside the eye the air is calm.  Typically, the smaller the eye, the stronger the system.  It's like if you are spinning on a swing and you draw your arms inward, you will spin faster.

Answer 4

Yes, the eye of the hurricane is the weakest part of the storm and calmest. Hope I helped :)

Answer 5

If a hurricane has a well defined eye, yes it is more powerfull, the size of the eye is also in good indicator.

Answer 6

A hurricane is nothing but a strong low pressure happening over the southern part of the Atlantic ocean.

A low pressure happens because air rises when hot. If there is enough hot and moist air at the base of the low pressure, it will continue rising and grow strong. This is called a convection.

Because of the Coriolis affect of the earth spin, the air coming toward the convection in order to fill it, will start spinning around it in a counter clockwise motion in the northern hemisphere. The is the strong wind associated with any storm, cyclone, typhoon and hurricane.

But at the very center of it, like a maelstrom, the air can only move upward. This is called the eye of the hurricane (or any storm) and the wind is calm as felt on the surface. Aviators, of course, face other dangers.

Today, hurricanes are most observed from satellite photography. It is true that when the 'eye' i.e. an apparent hole in the middle of the clouds, is well defined, it means that the convection is important in force and the expected winds, quite considerable.