ðə θˌɜːmoʊdaɪnˈæmɪk bᵻhˈeɪvjɚɹ əvə hˈɜːɹᵻkˌeɪn kæn biː mˈɑːdəld æz ɐ hˈiːt ˈɛndʒɪn ðæt ˈɑːpɚɹˌeɪts bᵻtwˌiːn ðə hˈiːt ɹˈɛzɚvwˌɑːɹ ʌvðə sˈiː æɾə tˈɛmpɹɪtʃɚɹ ʌv ɐbˌaʊt θɹˈiːhˈʌndɹɪd kˈeɪ twˈɛnti sˈɛvən dᵻɡɹˈiːz sˈiː ænd ðə hˈiːt sˈɪŋk ʌvðə tɹˈɑːpəpˌɔːz æɾə tˈɛmpɹɪtʃɚɹ ʌv ɐbˌaʊt tˈuːhˈʌndɹɪd kˈeɪ mˈaɪnəs sˈɛvənti tˈuː dᵻɡɹˈiːz sˈiː ænd ɪnðə pɹˈɑːsɛs kənvˈɜːts hˈiːt ˈɛnɚdʒi ˌɪntʊ mᵻkˈænɪkəl ˈɛnɚdʒi ʌv wˈɪndz.
The thermodynamic behavior of a hurricane can be modelled as a heat engine  that operates between the heat reservoir of the sea at a temperature of about 300K (27 °C) and the heat sink of the tropopause at a temperature of about 200K (−72 °C) and in the process converts heat energy into mechanical energy of winds.