A Tropical Storm Warning was issued for Jamaica late Sunday evening as a Caribbean weather system is expected to strengthen Monday into Tropical Storm Rafael. Hurricane conditions are possible in the Cayman Islands late Tuesday as it moves toward Cuba. The system is expected to move into the Gulf of Mexico later this week.
Warm ocean waters conducive to hurricane development
For a hurricane to form, two key conditions must be met: a weather disturbance, like a thunderstorm, that draws in warm surface air, and ocean water that is at least 80°F (27°C). Hurricanes typically develop over tropical oceans between 5 and 20 degrees latitude, where warm seawater fuels the storms, and the Earth’s rotation causes them to spin.
Credit: NOAA Physical Oceanography Division (PHOD) of AOML
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