What defines hurricanes in meteorological terms?

Hurricanes are defined as tropical cyclones with wind speeds exceeding 119 kilometers per hour (kph). This classification is based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which ranks hurricanes according to their sustained wind speeds. The threshold of 119 kph is significant because it marks the minimum wind speed required for a tropical storm to be classified as a hurricane.

Tropical cyclones develop over warm ocean waters and can cause severe weather conditions, including heavy rainfall, strong winds, and storm surges. Other choices do not accurately encapsulate the definition of a hurricane. For instance, while storms with low cloud cover and high humidity might influence weather patterns, they do not specifically characterize hurricanes. Similarly, weather fronts and high atmospheric pressure systems pertain to different meteorological phenomena and do not provide the necessary criteria for defining hurricanes. The focus on wind speed makes the correct answer clear and paramount in understanding what constitutes a hurricane in meteorological contexts.