Do all hurricanes start off the coast of africa?

In tropical forecasting class I was taught that although they might form anywhere in the Atlantic or Caribbean Basin, their genesis are in the tropical waves that form on the lee side of coastal African mountain ranges.

As the trade winds blow over these mountains, at a near perpendicular angle, an effect called "lee side troughing" takes place.... low pressure forms on the lee side of the mountains. This is also called Bernoulli's principle.

Sometimes it's not an actual closed off low pressure system that forms. Rather, it looks more like a wave shape in the trade winds as it travels across the Atlantic. At times there's weather associated with these waves and at other times there's no weather.

We were taught that if, and when, the conditions are right...(warm water, surface convergence, upper level divergence and weak vertical wind shear) these waves can develop into tropical storm systems. If the conditions are not right they don't develop.

You are both right and wrong in a way. Most hurricanes form off low pressure systems coming off from Africa (so most do come from there), but a Hurricane doesn't necessarily form off of Africa. A Hurricane can form anywhere in the Atlantic basin. Not even all hurricanes form off Africa. Some form from low-pressure systems or frontal troughs from the US. Take Hurricane Humberto for example from 2007. It formed from a Tropical Depression to a category 1 hurricane in 24 hours before hitting East Texas. So you are both wrong and right.

alot during the summer happen in the atlantic in the beginning or hurrican season towards the end esp. during the peak month but since the end of sep. so far alot of potential storms have been dying out or going north....

lately alot so far have been in the carribean and the pacfic

i'm guessing its their peak months over near cally and close to mexico

go to weather channel they should have an educated guess.... but I think its both...