No Hurricane Has Ever Crossed the Equator. Here's Why

Tropical weather season is in full swing in both the Atlantic and Pacific basins. But one place that you will never see a hurricane is right near the equator. Why is that? Read on for the scientific explanation behind this fact.

How the Coriolis Force Impacts the Track of Tropical Weather Features

Although a handful of tropical weather systems have come close to crossing the equator throughout history, a named storm has never made this journey. The answer for this phenomenon lies in what is known as the Coriolis force.

This force inherently deflects winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere while sending winds to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. Most people recognize the force as the atmospheric element on a map that generates the swirl you see in tropical weather events. The circular movement is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in storms spinning in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Coriolis force is at zero right at the equator. It is this force that prevents tropical weather features from crossing over the equator and moving between hemispheres.

Most tropical weather systems remain north of the equator at a position of at least five degrees north latitude. Conversely, storms remain to the south at 5 degrees south latitude.