[originaltext] The average life of a hurricane is only about nine days, but

The average life of a hurricane is only about nine days, but it contains almost more power than we imagine. The energy in the heat released by a hurricane’s rainfall in a single day would satisfy the entire electrical needs of the United States for more than six months. Water, not wind, is the main source of death and destruction in a hurricane. A typical hurricane brings 6- 12-inch downpours resulting in sudden floods. Worst of all is the powerful movement of the sea—the mountains of water moving toward the low-pressure hurricane center. The water level rises as much as 15 feet above normal as it moves toward shore.