We're now in the heart of hurricane season.

There's a good reason for this. Warm ocean water is at the top of the list of ingredients for fueling a hurricane. And now is the time of year when Atlantic ocean waters are typically at their warmest. Warm water means lots of evaporation and thus lots of water vapor in the air to fuel the storms.

Generally speaking, you need water temperatures above 78^oF for hurricane development, and not just at the surface but to a depth of 100 feet or more. That's because as a hurricane develops, its winds stir the ocean, mixing warm surface water with water from below.

Just to recap, consider this: hurricane season officially goes from June 1 to November 30, but about 90% of all hurricane days in the Atlantic occur in August, September, or October.