Which weather event is characterized by heavy rainfall and strong winds spiraling inward?

The weather event characterized by heavy rainfall and strong winds spiraling inward is a hurricane. Hurricanes are large tropical storms that form over warm ocean waters and are known for their well-defined structure featuring a low-pressure center called the eye. As air moves toward this low-pressure area, it spirals inward due to the Coriolis effect, resulting in strong winds that can exceed 74 miles per hour. Along with the powerful winds, hurricanes bring heavy rainfall, which can lead to significant flooding and damage when they make landfall.

In contrast, a tornado is a localized, violent, rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground, marked by rapid and destructive winds but occurring over a much smaller area. An earthquake is a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that causes seismic waves, not a weather event. Flooding can be a consequence of heavy rainfall, including that from hurricanes, but it does not inherently involve the spiraling winds or organized structure associated with tropical cyclones.