Source: Hurricane Watch by Dr. Bob Sheets and Jack Williams
Hurricanes draw their power from warm, extremely humid air found only over warm oceans.
This is because the key energy source is the latent heat (supplies weather energy) that's released when water vapor condenses into cloud droplets and rain. Tropical storms and hurricanes grow best in a deep layer of humid air that supplies plenty of moisture.
Disturbances that can grow into hurricanes begin where air is converging and being pushed upward. If the air is unstable (Temperature profile determines air stability) , it will continue rising after the initial upward shove.
Hurricanes grow under high pressure areas high above the ocean, which help pump away the rising air, allowing more air to flow into the storm and rise.
