knows trouble is coming. A warm spring has turned into a hot summer. T e sun is heating the ocean. T is can cause monster storms called hurricanes. Hailes knows all about hurricanes. He’s a hurricane hunter.


Humble Beginnings A hurricane always begins as a thunderstorm. T ese thunderstorms are diff erent from others. T ey form only over warm oceans. Warm ocean water easily evaporates. It turns into a kind of a gas called vapor. T is warm, moist air rises.


As it rises, it cools and forms storm clouds. More water vapor makes more clouds. T is causes more storms. Some may become hurricanes.


A Hurricane Is Born A storm becomes a hurricane when rising air changes the air pressure. Usually, air presses down. Rising air doesn’t press down as hard. T is makes an area of low pressure. Low pressure is like a vacuum


cleaner. T e air rushes in and up. Winds start to spin very fast like a pinwheel. T is forms a hurricane.


18 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER


eye __ eyewall __________


Hurricane Hunters Hurricane winds form tall waves. T ese fierce winds and waves can destroy whole towns. T at’s why Hailes is worried. T at’s


why he flies into hurricanes. He and his team collect weather data. T is data may save lives.


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