Rapid intensification

When a big windstorm starts in the ocean, it can sometimes get bigger really fast. This is called "rapid intensification." It's kind of like when you blow up a balloon really fast and it gets really big quickly. The same thing happens with a hurricane - the winds get stronger, the rain gets heavier, and the storm gets bigger. It happens because the storm is getting more energy from the warm water it's passing over. Just like how you have more energy after you eat a big snack. Scientists study these big storms so we can try to predict when they will happen and keep people safe.