Hurricane power diminishes in intensity for a number of reasons, but the two most common are when a hurricane moves onto a colder area of the ocean or when it moves over land.

When a hurricane moves over ocean water that cannot supply warm, moist air, the cycle of power being supplied to the hurricane by latent heat is broken. If a hurricane moves onto land, it loses its strength quickly due to a loss of the storm's source of warm air and water, and the increased roughness over land leads to a rapid reduction in surface wind speeds.

Although many tropical disturbances occur each year, only a few develop into full-fledged hurricanes. Hurricanes need a very specific environment and set of ingredients to build into the destructive forces that batter the homes, businesses, and residents of coastal areas throughout the world.