Final answer:
The strength of a hurricane can be reduced by cooler water temperatures, which deprive it of the warm, moist air needed for its energy, or by making landfall, where the interaction with land disrupts its structure and power.
Step-by-step explanation:
Two factors that could reduce the strength of a hurricane off the coast of Florida in the Atlantic Ocean include a decrease in water temperatures and an encounter with land. Hurricanes rely on warm ocean waters (above 80 °F) to fuel their intensity. If a hurricane moves over cooler waters, it will lose access to the warm, moist air that powers its winds and precipitation.
This can occur when the hurricane moves away from the equatorial region where it originated or if an El Niño event leads to cooler ocean surface temperatures. The second factor is land interaction. If the hurricane makes landfall or moves closely along the coastline, the friction of the land surface disrupts the storm structure and it tends to weaken rapidly. The terrain can break down the circulation of the storm, and without the constant supply of energy from warm ocean waters, the hurricane's power diminishes.