What makes up a hurricane?

Hurricanes are some of nature's most impactful and deadly weather events as they create havoc in their paths, particularly once they reach land. But what makes up a hurricane? More to the point, what do all of those terms that you hear during hurricane season actually mean?

Storm surges

Before a hurricane makes landfall, the tremendous winds that it produces begin to create storm surges. Those are increases in water levels because of those winds pushing water towards affected areas. The effect of a storm surge is similar to that of a tsunami.

This all occurs in addition to the natural rising and lowering of the tides. As a result, when tides are at their highest, whether due to the time of the day or a full or new moon being in the sky, the impact of storm surges will be especially significant.

A hurricane's rainfall and atmospheric pressure can also enhance this impact.

Low pressure