Why do hurricanes form? A very amateur post

[rob8303]

How do Hurricanes form? I'm not an expert so I really don't know. Also, I've never heard the GOM referred to as part of the tropics, so how come the GOM forms so many tropical cyclones all on it's own? And all these waves that move across the continent of Africa, for a continent that most people imagine as dry and hot, where do these waves come from?
Also, a td or ts could form tomorrow, but what has to happen for it to become a cat 3-4 hurricane? Some hurricanes don't have shear in front of them or dry air or cold waters but still don't develop into monsters, why is that? Or do hurricanes that have no dry air, warm waters, and no shear ALWAYS develop into monsters?

[rainstorm]

for those answers, you must consult the good lord. (or joe bastardi).
just take td6? the nhc said 4 out of 5 parameters were for rapid intensification and it poofed.

[ColdFront77]

The Gulf of Mexico's latitude is below 30ºN, surely the tropics. The Gulf is due west of the southern Atlantic Ocean which is the tropical Atlantic.

The water temperature in the Gulf is in the mid to upper 80's during the Hurricane Season. Tropical development can occur when the water temperature is above 79ºF.

[Scott_inVA]

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/A10.html

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/whur7.htm

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Hurricanes/

Scott