How can hurricane Ian go from hurricane, to tropical storm, and now back to hurricane?
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So first we need to know what the difference between a hurricane and a tropical storm is. Hurricanes and tropical storms are both tropical cyclones, meaning that they have a cyclone shape and a distinct “eye,” they look more or less like [this](https://discover.alesolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/hurricane-cyclone-typhoon-header.jpg). The difference is how fast the wind is. Wind speeds for these storms is measure in what is called “maximum sustained surface wind,” this measures the wind speed 10 meters above the ground in the eye wall of the storm, the area right before the eye, over a period of 1 minute. A tropical storm has maximum sustained surface winds from 39-73 mph (63-118 km/h), while a hurricane has maximum sustained surface winds of 74 mph (119 km/h) or above. Hurricanes range from a Category 1, with wind speeds from 74-95 mph (119-153 km/h) all the way up to a Category 5, which has wind speeds above 157 mph (252 km/h). A Category 3 or higher, meaning winds above 111 mph (178 km/h) is a “major hurricane.”
Hurricanes gain power when they move over warm water, they basically “feed” on it. Hurricanes lose power when they move over cold water and land. The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean near it are very warm, in July and August the ocean near Key West has an average temperature of 87 degrees Fahrenheit (31 Celsius). This is why Hurricanes can gain strength so rapidly before hitting Florida or the Gulf Coast. So the storm gained strength in the Gulf and became a hurricane, then it hit Florida and weakened as it passed over the land. After it passed over Florida it went back into the Atlantic Ocean and gained more power as it moved over the warm water, becoming a hurricane again.
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