NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick captured this photo of Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean on July 1, 2024, while aboard the ISS. NASA studies hurricanes from space through photos like this one, as well as observations from satellites. Hurricane first responders use this data, as well as scientists who want to understand how climate change impacts hurricanes. Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones are all the same type of storm – tropical cyclones – and they all form the same way. When warm, moist air over the ocean rises upward from near the surface, an area of lower air pressure is created. Air from surrounding areas with higher air pressure pushes into the low-pressure area. That “new” air becomes warm and moist and rises, too. As the air rises, though, it cools off and creates clouds. The whole system of clouds and wind spins and grows, fed by the ocean’s heat and water evaporating from the surface. The distinctive “eye” of the storm is made by the system turning faster and faster. Trop...