Final answer:
Hurricanes are powerful tropical storms that form over warm ocean waters, while tornadoes are rapidly rotating columns of air that form within severe thunderstorms. Thunderstorms are localized storms that produce lightning and heavy precipitation. Hurricanes form when warm air rises rapidly over warm ocean waters.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hurricanes
Hurricanes are powerful, rotating tropical storms that form over warm ocean waters and have the potential to cause significant damage. They are characterized by strong winds and heavy rainfall.
Comparison to Tornadoes and Thunderstorms
Tornadoes and thunderstorms are also weather phenomena that can be destructive, but they differ from hurricanes in their formation and scale.
Tornadoes form within severe thunderstorms and are characterized by a rapidly rotating column of air. They are typically smaller in scale compared to hurricanes and have higher wind speeds, but a smaller area of impact.
Thunderstorms, on the other hand, are localized storms that produce lightning, thunder, and heavy precipitation. They can sometimes spawn tornadoes, but they are not as powerful or as widespread as hurricanes.
Formation of Hurricanes
Hurricanes form over warm ocean waters when the air temperature is above 80 °F. The warm air rises rapidly, creating strong wind currents and storm conditions. The rotation of the earth causes the storm to rotate in a cyclonic pattern, with a counterclockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and a clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere.