Why don't hurricanes form right on the equator?

The Coriolis effect is too weak

Who maintains hurricane name lists?

The World Meteorological Organization

Hurricanes Quiz: Can You Get 8 Out of 10?

This hurricanes quiz covers how tropical cyclones form over warm oceans, the eye and eyewall, the Saffir-Simpson scale, storm surge, how storms are named and famous hurricanes like Katrina. Can you get 8 out of 10 on the planet's biggest storms?

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Fuel
What powers a hurricane?
Names
What are hurricanes called in the western Pacific?
Eye
What is the calm center of a hurricane called?
Scale
Which scale rates hurricanes from Category 1 to 5?
Surge
What often causes the most deaths in hurricanes?
Spin
Which way do hurricanes spin in the Northern Hemisphere?
Equator
Why don't hurricanes form right on the equator?
Katrina
Which city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005?
Naming
Who maintains hurricane name lists?
Season
When is the Atlantic hurricane season?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: What powers a hurricane?
Answer: Warm ocean water
Sea temperatures usually exceed 26 °C.
Q2: What are hurricanes called in the western Pacific?
Answer: Typhoons
In the Indian Ocean they are cyclones.
Q3: What is the calm center of a hurricane called?
Answer: The eye
The strongest winds surround it in the eyewall.
Q4: Which scale rates hurricanes from Category 1 to 5?
Answer: Saffir-Simpson scale
It is based on wind speed.
Q5: What often causes the most deaths in hurricanes?
Answer: Storm surge and flooding
Seawater pushes inland.
Q6: Which way do hurricanes spin in the Northern Hemisphere?
Answer: Counterclockwise
The Coriolis effect causes this.
Q7: Why don't hurricanes form right on the equator?
Answer: The Coriolis effect is too weak
They form at least 5 degrees away.
Q8: Which city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005?
Answer: New Orleans
Levees failed.
Q9: Who maintains hurricane name lists?
Answer: The World Meteorological Organization
Names of deadly storms are retired.
Q10: When is the Atlantic hurricane season?
Answer: June 1 to November 30
Peak activity is around September.

Hurricanes Quiz – The Biggest Storms on Earth

Hurricanes, also called typhoons and cyclones, are giant rotating storms that form over warm tropical oceans. Warm water evaporates, rises and condenses into towering clouds, releasing heat that powers the storm.

A mature hurricane has a calm eye surrounded by a violent eyewall and spiraling rain bands. Winds can exceed 250 km/h, and storm surges can push seawater far inland, causing devastating floods.

Satellites, hurricane hunter aircraft and computer models help forecasters predict paths and warn people. Evacuation plans, strong building codes and flood defenses save lives. Warmer oceans may make the strongest storms more intense.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is for students learning about hurricanes.

What powers hurricanes
What they are called elsewhere
What the eye is
What the scale measures
Why storm surge is dangerous

Did You Know?

Typhoon Tip was the largest tropical cyclone recorded.
The 1970 Bhola cyclone was among the deadliest.
Hurricane hunters fly into storms.
Hurricanes weaken over land.
Hurricane Patricia had record winds in 2015.