How a Hurricane Grows

When I go on school visits, hurricanes come up as a popular topic each time. So many kids are fascinated by hurricanes, and this is a great way to teach basic principles of how hurricanes sustain themselves for so long. Click here to watch the video demonstration:

What you need: 

  • Large bowl

  • Warm water

  • Food coloring

  • Spoon

What you do: 

  • Fill your bowl 3/4 with warm water

  • Stir the water with your spoon in the same direction until it spins on its own

  • Put one drop of food coloring in and watch it spiral out

What is happening: 

If you’ve ever seen a picture of a hurricane (or you can reference the one below), you know the center is pretty circular but they often have bands that extend out from the center. That’s what we’re replicating today. The picture below comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and it shows Hurricane Florence.

20180912-HURFlorenceGC1045EST.png

This activity doesn’t show us how hurricanes form, but it can teach how hurricanes sustain themselves for long periods of time.  Hurricanes need warm ocean water just like your car needs gasoline – it’s what fuels them and keeps them going. 

Hurricanes spin out from the center, so these bands are evidence of centripetal force. The air in the center of the hurricane is spinning outward just like your food coloring did. That warm ocean water is constantly pumping new energy into the middle of the hurricane to replenish it.

Hannah Strong