What is a Hurricane?

According to Merriam Webster's Online Dictionary, a hurricane is:
"a tropical cyclone with winds of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour or greater that occurs especially in the western Atlantic, that is usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning, and that sometimes moves into temperate latitudes"
What causes these storms? Does temperature have an affect on their strength? Keep reading this blog to find out.
You may have even experienced a hurricane such as Hurricane Ike or Hurricane Katrina. I am going to research all about the tropical cyclones that we call hurricanes and share my findings on this blog, as well as answer this question:
Does the temperature of the water over which a hurricane reaches its strongest point affect strength of a hurricane?