HURRICANES AND THE SEA-SURFACE TEMPERATURE FIELD

Abstract

The behavior of hurricane tracks and the variations of the intensity of hurricanes are investigated in a study of the sea-surface temperatures around eleven hurricanes. By the use of several methods of analysis, it is found that there is distinct, although not conclusive, evidence that hurricanes tend to form near relatively warm ocean areas, that they tend to follow tracks along the areas of warmest water, and that they tend to weaken when they move over pronouncedly colder water.