Tropical cyclone
hideA tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones feed on heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor contained in the moist air. They are fueled by a different heat mechanism than other cyclonic windstorms such as nor'easters, European windstorms, and polar lows, leading to their classification as "warm core" storm systems. Tropical cyclones originate in the doldrums near the equator, about 10° away from it.
The term "tropical" refers to both the geographic origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively in tropical regions of the globe, and their formation in maritime tropical air masses. The term "cyclone" refers to such storms' cyclonic nature, with counterclockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere. Depending on its location and strength, a tropical cyclone is referred to by names such as hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression, and simply cyclone.
While tropical cyclones can produce extremely powerful winds and torrential rain, they are also able to produce high waves and damaging storm surge as well as spawning tornadoes. They develop over large bodies of warm water, and lose their strength if they move over land. This is why coastal regions can receive significant damage from a tropical cyclone, while inland regions are relatively safe from receiving strong winds. Heavy rains, however, can produce significant flooding inland, and storm surges can produce extensive coastal flooding up to 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the coastline. Although their effects on human populations can be devastating, tropical cyclones can also relieve drought conditions. They also carry heat and energy away from the tropics and transport it toward temperate latitudes, which makes them an important part of the global atmospheric circulation mechanism. As a result, tropical cyclones help to maintain equilibrium in the Earth's troposphere, and to maintain a relatively stable and warm temperature worldwide.
Many tropical cyclones develop when the atmospheric conditions around a weak disturbance in the atmosphere are favorable. The background environment is modulated by climatological cycles and patterns such as the Madden-Julian oscillation, El Niño-Southern Oscillation, and the Atlantic Multi-Decadal Mode. Others form when other types of cyclones acquire tropical characteristics. Tropical systems are then moved by steering winds in the troposphere; if the conditions remain favorable, the tropical disturbance intensifies, and can even develop an eye. On the other end of the spectrum, if the conditions around the system deteriorate or the tropical cyclone makes landfall, the system weakens and eventually dissipates. It is not possible to artificially induce the dissipation of these systems with current technology.
For more information about Tropical cyclone, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with hurricane
Cyclone Anja hits wind shear, weakens drastically
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 17, 2009 |
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This morning, Cyclone Anja was a powerful Category 4 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Wind shear has now giving Anja a strong "punch in the gut" as the storm has weakened to a Category 1 cyclone.
TRMM satellite mapped 'Ida the Low's' rainfall from space (w/ Video)
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 16, 2009 |
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The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite known as "TRMM" has the ability to measure rainfall from space, and assessed the heavy rainfall from last week's coastal low pressure area, formerly known ...
Noise Evidence Could Expand Hurricane Record
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 10, 2009 |
5 / 5 (3) |
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As sea-surface temperatures rise across the globe, some scientists believe that hurricane frequency and intensity may increase. A fresh technique offers promise to generate new data from long-dead storms, ...
The GOES-12 satellite sees Large Hurricane Ida nearing landfall
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 09, 2009 |
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Residents of the U.S. Gulf coast thought they were getting a break this hurricane season until Ida showed up. Today, November 9, Ida is a hurricane and is headed for a landfall in the western Florida Panhandle ...
Tropical Depression Neki nulled by cool waters and wind shear
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 27, 2009 |
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Two ingredients that don't mix well with tropical cyclones are waters cooler than 80 degrees Fahrenheit and wind shear. Those two ingredients were added into Tropical Depression Neki's mix late yesterday, ...
Fixing the flaw in emergency planning
Oct 26, 2009 |
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Emergency response plans must include knowledge from the people who need to be protected if these plans are to help communities respond effectively to threats, write Drs. Roz Lasker, Noni MacDonald and Editor-in-Chief Paul ...
NASA satellite still sees heavy rainfall in Tropical Storm Neki
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 24, 2009 |
3 / 5 (1) |
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Tropical Storm Neki continues moving north and over the weekend it will be in open waters in the Central Atlantic. NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite passed over Neki early on October ...
Papahanaumokuakea National Monument facing Hurricane Neki
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 22, 2009 |
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A hurricane warning is in force for the Papahanaumokuakea National Monument from Nihoa Island to French Frigate Shoals to Maro Reef. Hurricane conditions likely there by 5 a.m. HST on Friday, October 23.
Rick's remnants now merged with a low in the Central US
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 22, 2009 |
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NASA's Aqua satellite captured Rick's remnant clouds and showers as they charged through Texas and fed moisture into a low pressure system that is migrating across the U.S. By mid-day on October 22, Rick's ...
TRMM sees some heavy rains in Neki as it heads toward Johnston Island
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 20, 2009 |
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NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, or TRMM satellite has been flying over Tropical Storm Neki in the Central Pacific Ocean and providing scientists with an idea of how much rainfall Johnston Island ...
Tropical Storm Rick's center expected to pass south of the Baja
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 20, 2009 |
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Residents in southern Baja California, Mexico still haven't recovered from last month's Hurricane Jimena, and Tropical Storm Rick is now bringing rains to southern tip of the Baja. The National Hurricane Center ...
Seismic noise unearths lost hurricanes
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 20, 2009 |
4.7 / 5 (6) |
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Seismologists have found a new way to piece together the history of hurricanes in the North Atlantic—by looking back through records of the planet's seismic noise. It's an entirely new way to tap into the ...
Researchers can predict hurricane-related power outages (w/ Video)
Oct 20, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Using data from Hurricane Katrina and four other destructive storms, researchers from Johns Hopkins and Texas A&M universities say they have found a way to accurately predict power outages ...
NASA Satellites and Baja California on watch as Hurricane Rick approaches
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 19, 2009 |
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NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites flew over Hurricane Rick this weekend, and watched the storm strengthen into a major hurricane.
Pacific El Nino equals Atlantic hurricane calm: experts
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 18, 2009 |
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The Pacific's El Nino ocean-warming phenomenon has resulted in an especially calm Atlantic hurricane season -- a welcome respite for Caribbean and southeastern US residents still smarting from a 2008 pounding.
