Stormy Science

Hurricane Dolly reached Category 2 storm status as it slammed ashore near the Texas-Mexico border on Wednesday. All along the coast, residents braced for 100-mph (160-km/h) winds and levee-threatening torrents of rain. Forecasters warned that the storm could dump 15 inches (38 cm) in some places, and tornado watches were in effect from Corpus Christi to Houston.

With Dolly soaking Texas--and soaking up headlines from coast to coast--we decided it was time for a special storm-science triple issue. So today, we've got the knowledge you need to understand how both hurricanes and tornadoes form, plus a special look at which windy-weather threat is worse.

Issue #1: How Hurricanes Form

Think of a hurricane as a giant heat pump--pumping the energy stored in tropical ocean water warmed by the blazing sun to at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius). Such water can make for one heck of a beach vacation. But it also makes for warm humid air that can cause big trouble. How big? Big enough to soak an entire state, with a storm so strong it spins off tornadoes.

Go inside a hurricane

Issue #2: How Tornadoes Form

Nothing short of a hurricane can fascinate like a tornado. Every year, hundreds of people--from meteorologists and nature photographers to the merely curious--go storm-chasing across the countryside to measure, document, or simply witness tornadoes' awesome power. Often, the sight of a funnel cloud in the sky will send folks running for their cameras before running for the lives. But how do these meteorological monsters form?

Go inside a tornado

Issue #3: Hurricanes vs. Tornadoes vs. You

We've seen how hurricanes heat up and how tornadoes start turning. We've also seen why both meteorological marvels are forces to be reckoned with. But which is meaner? Which is deadlier? Which is the baddest atmospheric force on Earth? Let's match up hurricanes vs. tornadoes and see.

See how the storms stack up