Tropical Cyclones have distinct parts that make them recognizable from other storms.
The easiest part to identify is the eye, a region of relative calm in the middle of the storm. This region is roughly circular, warmer than the surrounding clouds by up to 10 degrees C (18 degrees F) and can be anywhere from 8 km [5 mi] to over 200 km [120 mi] across. Surrounding the eye is the eye wall, a circle of wind surrounding the eye. Winds here are the strongest in the whole storm.
Another recognizable feature of tropical cyclones are bands of clouds, sometimes called rain bands or spiral bands. These bands are a result of organized convection. Warm, wet air converges at the center of these bands and rises, creating the cloud columns. The clouds in the center column topple outward to create a large cloud shield, but underneath this shield other cloud columns are created by zones in which the warm, wet air converges. Other zones are created by air descending from the top of the cloud columns, creating areas of cooler air with lower pressure. Therefore, the bands are areas of distinct high pressure and heat surrounded by lower pressure, cooler air.
Spiral bands are not always distinct from above, as they are often covered by the large top cloud shield. However, they are usually discernible at the edges as arms spiraling in toward the center, like the arms of a spiral galaxy. If you were to travel through a hurricane, you would encounter areas dry air between walls of rain, the rain growing more intense as you neared the center.
