Four key conditions are necessary for hurricane formation: warm sea surface temperatures above 26.5°C over a large area, instability in the atmosphere allowing air to rise, little wind shear through the troposphere, and location within 5-10 degrees latitude of the equator. Hurricanes are fueled by the release of latent heat as water vapor condenses, powered by a feedback loop between warm ocean waters and rising moist air. As hurricanes approach land, they lose their energy source and weaken due to disruption of this cycle from colder waters and increased wind shear.