Inside a Hurricane

Wall Clouds: The hurricane's fiercest winds are here.

• PRINT
• EMAIL

Steady winds: up to 180 km (112 mi) per hour.
Short gusts of wind: up to 300 km (189 mi) per hour.

Eye

The eye of a hurricane is about 32 km (20 mi) across and has no clouds overhead. It's a long tube of calm all the way to the sea — like the hole in the center of water swirling down a drain.

Rain Bands

The spiral "arms" of a hurricane are made up of layers of thunderstorm clouds. The bands — up to 48 km (30 mi) wide — are where all the rain and lightning come from.

 

October, 1992