Researchers Probe What Spawns Hurricanes

Every hurricane season, clusters of showers and thunderstorms roll off the coast of Africa and head over the Atlantic toward America. Most of these 60 or so tropical waves never do any harm. But about 10 eventually grow into tropical storms or monster hurricanes like Katrina and Andrew.

Researchers don't know exactly why some of these waves become menaces and others peter out.

So starting this week, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will try to find out by studying these tropical systems as they make their way west from their breeding ground in Africa.

from Fox News