The last factor in the formation of a hurricane is the absence of what’s called vertical wind shear. That means the direction and speed of the overall wind pattern can’t change much as air rises up through the atmosphere. If the rising hot air were to hit winds blowing in different directions, it wouldn’t continue its straight ascent—it would get pulled sideways, disrupting the storm’s formation. It is only when all these factors are in place that a hurricane can take shape.
