Hurricanes The whirling tropical cyclones that on occasion have wind speeds reaching 320 kilometers per hour are known as hurricanes - the most powerful storms on earth. Out at sea they can generate 15-meter waves capable of inflicting destruction hundreds of kilometers from their source. Should a hurricane smash into land, gale force winds coupled with extensive flooding can impose great loss of life and millions of dollars in damages. These storms form in all tropical waters (except those of the South Atlantic) between the latitudes of 5 degrees and 20 degrees and are known in each locale by a unique name. In the western Pacific they are cal