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How Do Hurricanes Form, Move, And Cause Destruction?

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8,000 people lost their lives when the deadliest hurricane on record destroyed Galveston, Texas on September 8, 1900. 15-foot waves and 130 mile per hour winds decimated the island. Hurricanes, like this one, cause a lot of damage every year, especially along the southeastern coast of the United States. To understand these storms, scientists are studying how hurricanes form, move, and cause destruction. Every hurricane forms because of heat, moisture, and wind. When cool air lies above a warm ocean, moisture begins to rise, causing a thunderstorm. If the thunderstorm gets strong enough, it is called a tropical storm. If the winds reach at least 74 miles per hour, the storm becomes a hurricane (Tucker 4). Hurricanes move in a circular motion.

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