Hurricanes initiate from an area of thunderstorms. These thunderstorms are most commonly formed in one of three different ways. The first is the InterTropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The ITCZ is a near-solid ring of thunderstorms surrounding the globe found in the tropics. In the diagram below, the easterly trade winds converge near the equator and create thunderstorms, which can be seen in the satellite image along the equator.

	Image by: GOES Server