q Hurricanes form only over deep (several
tens of meters) water layers with surface temperatures in
excess of 27 oC.
q Poleward of about 25o, water temperatures
are usually below this threshold.
q Hurricanes are most frequent in late
summer and early autumn during high SST
times.
qCoriolis
force is an important contributor, and as such,
hurricanes do not form equatorward of 5o.
q Need an unstable atmosphere: available in the
western tropical ocean bur not in the
eastern parts of the ocean.
qStrong vertical shear must be absent for hurricane formation.