The letters following each Review Question refer to the corresponding Learning Objective from the Chapter Opener. Describe the stages in the development of a hurricane. Describe a hurricane's basic geometry. (E)

A hurricane develops through four stages: 1) Tropical Disturbance, a cluster of thunderstorms over warm ocean waters; 2) Tropical Depression, having a circulation center and wind speeds up to 38 mph; 3) Tropical Storm, with wind speeds between 39 to 73 mph and a defined, curved band pattern; 4) Hurricane, with wind speeds reaching 74 mph or higher and a well-defined, organized circulation with a calm "eye" at the center. A hurricane's basic geometry includes the eye, the surrounding dense eyewall with towering thunderstorms, and the outer rainbands consisting of strong thunderstorms, gusty winds, and heavy rain, all together forming a generally circular or oval shape spanning hundreds of miles in diameter.