Hurricanes tend to form in tropical regions over warm ocean waters, typically between about 5° and 20° latitude in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. They primarily form over areas where the sea surface temperature is at least 26.5 degrees Celsius (approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit) and where there is sufficient moisture in the atmosphere.
These storms generally develop in:
- Atlantic Ocean: Off the coast of West Africa, often referred to as the "hurricane alley."
- Eastern Pacific Ocean: Off the coast of Mexico.
- Western Pacific Ocean: Near the Philippines or in the South China Sea.
- Indian Ocean: Particularly in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
The lack of Coriolis effect at the equator prevents hurricanes from forming there, which is why they typically form at latitudes outside of the equatorial region.