A tropical storm warning was issued for Jamaica late Sunday evening as the Caribbean weather system is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Rafael on Monday. 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 water that is conducive to the development of hurricanes
For a hurricane to form, two key conditions must be met: a weather disturbance, such as a thunderstorm, that draws in warm surface air, and ocean water that is at least 27°C (80°F). Hurricanes typically develop over tropical oceans between 5 and 20 degrees north 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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