The Eye of a Hurricane Is Eerily Calm

The strange tranquility at the heart of a hurricane is a direct result of the storm's powerful physics. As air rushes toward the low-pressure center, it begins to rotate faster and faster. Eventually, the rotational speed is so great that it prevents air from reaching the absolute core. Instead, this rapidly spinning air is forced upward, creating the towering, violent wall of clouds known as the eyewall. To fill the resulting void in the middle, air from high above the storm sinks down. This sinking air compresses and warms, which evaporates clouds and suppresses rain, leading to the clear skies and light winds that define the eye.

For those on the ground, the arrival of the eye can be a surreal and dangerous illusion. After enduring the storm's most ferocious winds, the sudden calm can feel like the storm has passed. People sometimes report seeing blue sky or stars directly overhead, surrounded by the colossal wall of the storm, an effect known as the "stadium effect." This temporary peace is deceptive; the storm is only half over. The far side of the eyewall will soon strike, with winds blowing from the opposite direction. This is why the size of the eye is closely monitored—a smaller, more defined "pinhole" eye often signals an exceptionally intense and dangerous hurricane.