What Are Some Positive Effects of a Hurricane?

A hurricane, also known as a tropical cyclone, causes catastrophic effects to land, sea and humankind. A powerful storm, it can have sustained winds of over 155 miles per hour and bring torrential rains. It can affect hundreds of miles of land and sea. Despite the devastation a hurricane can cause, it also has benefits. The storm is nature's way of renewing itself, and the Earth's way of controlling temperatures to create balance.

  1. Heat Release

    • Hurricanes benefit their tropic area of origin. The storm forms in a tropical location that experiences low pressure and warm water temperatures of at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit. As the storm forms, it picks up water evaporation and hurls it up into the atmosphere. The water droplets contain high levels of heat. The heat helps develop, maintain and strengthen the hurricane. As the storm sucks up massive amounts of heat, it lowers the temperature of the surrounding tropical region.

    Temperature Control

    • Tropical regions require the cooling of a hurricane to release heat. If the tropics cannot cool down, they will overheat. The excessive heat of the tropics would also cause the pole regions of the plant to become colder. Tropical regions would become more prevalent and so would areas of extreme cold. Temperate regions would virtually cease to exist. The entire planet's weather system would shift without the benefit of hurricanes to help control temperature.

    Super Storms

    • Without annual hurricanes, the tropical regions would continue to heat up until a super storm was created. The storm would form when the overabundance of heat gets released suddenly into the atmosphere. Less-severe hurricanes help prevent super storms that could cause extreme damage. Occasional hurricanes lower the water temperature, which prevents severe super storms from forming. The lower water temperature also helps prevent ongoing storms from forming.

    Rain

    • A hurricane can generate up to 12 inches of rainfall in an area, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Rain often extends up to 100 miles inland from the area where the hurricane makes landfall. A storm that moves less than 10 miles per hour usually causes the most severe rainfall. Its slow movement allows the hurricane to draw up additional water into the surrounding atmosphere. The excessive rain can relieve drought-prone areas. Hurricane Camille helped end a drought in Tennessee and Kentucky in 1969. Japan also depends strongly on the rain generated by hurricanes to meet its annual water requirements.