Cyclone Catarina, a rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone viewed from the International Space Station on March 26, 2004.

In meteorology, a tropical cyclone is a storm system with a closed circulation around a centre of low pressure, fueled by the heat released when moist air rises and condenses. The name underscores their origin in the tropics and their cyclonic nature. They are distinguished from other cyclonic storms such as nor'easters and polar lows by the heat mechanism that fuels them, which makes them "warm core" storm systems. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x662, 320 KB) http://eol. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x662, 320 KB) http://eol. ... Cyclone Catarina was an extremely rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone. ... A South Atlantic tropical cyclone is an unusual weather event which occurs in the southern Atlantic Ocean, south of the equator. ... International Space Station insignia ISS Statistics Crew: 2 As of March 5, 2006 Perigee: 352. ... Satellite image of Hurricane Hugo with a polar low visible at the top of the image. ... A large low-pressure system swirls off the southeastern coast of Iceland, illustrating the maxim that nature abhors a vacuum. ... The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... This article is about the meteorological phenomenon. ... Noreaster is a colloquial term for a macro scale storm whose winds come from the northeast, especially in the coastal areas of the Northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada. ... Polar lows are similar in behavior and size to tropical cyclones, although generally much shorter lived. ...

Depending on their strength and location, there are various terms by which tropical cyclones can be described, such as tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane and typhoon.

Tropical cyclones can produce extremely high winds, tornadoes, torrential rain (leading to mudslides and flash floods), and drive storm surge onto coastal areas. Though the effects on populations and ships can be catastrophic, tropical cyclones have been known to relieve drought conditions. They carry heat away from the tropics, an important mechanism of the global atmospheric circulation that maintains equilibrium in the environment. ... Atmospheric circulation is the large-scale movement of air, and the means (together with the ocean circulation, which is smaller [1]) by which heat is distributed on the surface of the Earth. ...

Mechanics of tropical cyclones

Hurricanes form when the energy released by the condensation of moisture in rising air causes a positive feedback loop. The air heats up, rising further, which leads to more condensation. The air flowing out of the top of this "chimney" drops towards the ground, forming powerful winds.

Structurally, a tropical cyclone is a large, rotating system of clouds, wind, and thunderstorms. Its primary energy source is the release of the heat of condensation from water vapor condensing at high altitudes, the heat ultimately derived from the sun. Therefore, a tropical cyclone can be thought of as a giant vertical heat engine supported by mechanics driven by physical forces such as the rotation and gravity of the Earth. Condensation leads to higher wind speeds, as a tiny fraction of the released energy is converted into mechanical energy;^[1] the faster winds and lower pressure associated with them in turn cause increased surface evaporation. Much of the released energy drives updrafts that increase the height of the storm clouds, speeding up condensation.^[2] This gives rise to factors that provide the system with enough energy to be self-sufficient and cause a positive feedback loop where it can draw more energy as long as the source of heat, warm water, remains. Factors such as a continued lack of equilibrium in air mass distribution would also give supporting energy to the cyclone. The daily rotation of the Earth causes the system to spin, an effect known as the Coriolis effect, giving it a cyclonic characteristic and affecting the trajectory of the storm. Image File history File links http://earthobservatory. ... Positive feedback is a type of feedback. ... Cumulus of fair weather Different cloud types A cloud is a visible mass of condensed droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth or another planetary body. ... Wind is the roughly horizontal movement of air (as opposed to an air current) caused by uneven heating of the Earths surface. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The heat of vaporization is a physical property of substances. ... Condensation is the change in matter1 of a substance to a denser phase, such as a puppy gas (or vapor) to a liquid. ... The Sun is the star at the center of Earths solar system. ... In engineering and thermodynamics, a heat engine performs the conversion of heat energy to mechanical work by exploiting the temperature gradient between a hot source and a cold sink. Heat is transferred to the sink from the source, and in this process some of the heat is converted into work. ... Rotation of a plane, seen as the rotation of the terrain relative to the plane (exposure time 1. ... Gravity is a force of attraction that acts between bodies that have mass. ... Earth (often referred to as The Earth) is the third planet in the solar system in terms of distance from the Sun, and the fifth in order of size. ... Positive feedback is a type of feedback. ... Look up equilibrium in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This low pressure system over Iceland spins counter-clockwise due to the Coriolis effect. ...

The factors to form a tropical cyclone include a pre-existing weather disturbance, warm tropical oceans, moisture, and relatively light winds aloft. If the right conditions persist and allow it to create a feedback loop by maximizing the energy intake possible, for example, such as high winds to increase the rate of evaporation, they can combine to produce the violent winds, incredible waves, torrential rains, and floods associated with this phenomenon. A flood (in Old English flod, a word common to Teutonic languages; compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float) is an overflow of water, an expanse of water submerging land, a deluge. ...

Condensation as a driving force is what primarily distinguishes tropical cyclones from other meteorological phenomena.^[3] Because this is strongest in a tropical climate, this defines the initial domain of the tropical cyclone. By contrast, mid-latitude cyclones draw their energy mostly from pre-existing horizontal temperature gradients in the atmosphere.^[3] In order to continue to drive its heat engine, a tropical cyclone must remain over warm water, which provides the atmospheric moisture needed. The evaporation of this moisture is accelerated by the high winds and reduced atmospheric pressure in the storm, resulting in a positive feedback loop. As a result, when a tropical cyclone passes over land, its strength diminishes rapidly.^[4] Condensation is the change in matter1 of a substance to a denser phase, such as a puppy gas (or vapor) to a liquid. ... The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... A mid-latitude cyclone or extratropical cyclone is a weather phenomenon associated with atmospheric low pressure that takes place in the temperate region between the tropical and polar regions. ... In the above two images, the scalar field is in black and white, black representing higher values, and its corresponding gradient is represented by blue arrows. ... In engineering and thermodynamics, a heat engine performs the conversion of heat energy to mechanical work by exploiting the temperature gradient between a hot source and a cold sink. Heat is transferred to the sink from the source, and in this process some of the heat is converted into work. ... Positive feedback is a type of feedback. ...

Ozone measurements collected over Hurricane Erin on September 12, 2001. Erin's eye is marked with a red hurricane symbol. In the eye, ozone concentrations are elevated (yellow and green). The core is surrounded by an area of much lower ozone concentrations (purple and blue).

Ozone levels give a clue that a storm will develop before other methods. The early spin of a tropical cyclone is weak and sometimes covered by clouds, and not easily detected by satellites that provide pictures of clouds. However, instruments such as the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer can identify ozone amounts that are closely related to the formation, intensification, and movement of a cyclone. As a result, ozone levels turn out to be very helpful in determining the location of the eye. Concentrations of naturally-occurring ozone are highest in the stratosphere. Air nearer to the ocean surface is less rich in ozone. Surrounding the eye is a ring of powerful thunderstorms that are sucking up warm, moist air from the ocean surface and hurling it miles into the atmosphere—sometimes all the way to the lower stratosphere. This ozone-poor air replaces the ozone-rich air, causing ozone concentrations to drop. The process reverses in the eye itself: high-altitude air sinks down to the surface, infusing the entire column of atmosphere with ozone. Dropping ozone levels around the eye may turn out to be a strong sign that a storm is strengthening.^[5] Image File history File links HurricaneErin_Ozone_TOMS_2001sep12. ... Image File history File links HurricaneErin_Ozone_TOMS_2001sep12. ... The 2001 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2001, and lasted until November 30, 2001. ... For other uses, see Ozone (disambiguation). ... Categories: Stub ... Eye of Category 4 Hurricane Isabel seen from the International Space Station on September 15, 2003 The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. ... The stratosphere is a layer of Earths atmosphere that is stratified in temperature, with warmer layers higher up and cooler layers farther down. ...

Chart displaying the drop in surface temperature in the Gulf of Mexico as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita passed over. Sea surface temperatures decreased by more than 4°C in places along their paths and 1°C over the entire gulf.

The passage of a tropical cyclone over the ocean can cause the upper ocean to cool substantially, which can influence subsequent cyclone development. Tropical cyclones cool the ocean by acting like "heat engines" that transfer heat from the ocean surface to the atmosphere through evaporation. Cooling is also caused by upwelling of cold water from below. Additional cooling may come from cold water from raindrops that remain on the ocean surface for a time. Cloud cover may also play a role in cooling the ocean by shielding the ocean surface from direct sunlight before and slightly after the storm passage. All these effects can combine to produce a dramatic drop in sea surface temperature over a large area in just a few days.^[6] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1215x931, 77 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Tropical cyclone ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1215x931, 77 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Tropical cyclone ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... Lowest pressure 902 mbar (hPa) Damages $75 billion (2005 USD) (costliest Atlantic hurricane in history) Fatalities ≥1,836 total Areas affected Bahamas, South Florida, Cuba, Louisiana (especially Greater New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Panhandle, most of eastern North America Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Katrina was the... Lowest pressure 895 mbar (hPa)[1] Damages $10 billion (2005 USD)[1] Fatalities 7 direct, 55–112 indirect[citation needed] Areas affected Bahamas, Florida, Cuba, Yucatán Peninsula, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Rita is the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded... Evaporation is one of the two forms of vaporization. ...

Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research estimate that a hurricane releases heat energy at the rate of 50 to 200 trillion joules per day.^[2] For comparison, this rate of energy release is equivalent to exploding a 10-megaton nuclear bomb every 20 minutes^[7] or 200 times the world-wide electrical generating capacity.^[2] NCAR, Boulder, Colorado National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is a U.S.-based institute whose stated mission is: NCARs flagship Mesa Laboratory is located in the outskirts of Boulder, Colorado, in a dramatic complex of buildings designed by architect I.M. Pei. ... The numeral trillion refers to one of two number values, depending on the context of where and how it is being used. ... The joule (symbol: J) is the SI unit of energy, or work with base units of kg·m²/s² (N·m). ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945 lifted nuclear fallout some 18 km (60,000 feet) above the epicenter. ...

While the most obvious motion of clouds is toward the center, tropical cyclones also develop an upper-level (high-altitude) outward flow of clouds. These originate from air that has released its moisture and is expelled at high altitude through the "chimney" of the storm engine.^{[citation needed]} This outflow produces high, thin cirrus clouds that spiral away from the center. The high cirrus clouds may be the first signs of an approaching hurricane.^[8]

Physical structure

Structure of a hurricane

A strong tropical cyclone consists of the following components. Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Tropical cyclone ...

• Surface low: All tropical cyclones rotate around an area of low atmospheric pressure near the Earth's surface. The pressures recorded at the centers of tropical cyclones are among the lowest that occur on Earth's surface at sea level.
• Warm core: Tropical cyclones are characterized and driven by the release of large amounts of latent heat of condensation as moist air is carried upwards and its water vapor condenses. This heat is distributed vertically, around the center of the storm. Thus, at any given altitude (except close to the surface where water temperature dictates air temperature) the environment inside the cyclone is warmer than its outer surroundings.
• Central Dense Overcast (CDO): The Central Dense Overcast is a dense shield of very intense thunderstorm activity that make up the inner portion of the hurricane. This contains the eye wall, and the eye itself. The classic hurricane contains a symmetrical CDO, which means that it is perfectly circular and round on all sides.
• Eye: A strong tropical cyclone will harbor an area of sinking air at the center of circulation. Weather in the eye is normally calm and free of clouds (however, the sea may be extremely violent). Eyes are home to the coldest temperatures of the storm at the surface, and the warmest temperatures at the upper levels. The eye is normally circular in shape, and may range in size from 3 km to 320 km (2 miles to 200 miles) in diameter. In weaker cyclones, the CDO covers the circulation center, resulting in no visible eye.
• Eyewall: A band around the eye of greatest wind speed, where clouds reach highest and precipitation is heaviest. The heaviest wind damage occurs where a hurricane's eyewall passes over land.
• Rainbands: Bands of showers and thunderstorms which spiral cyclonically toward the storm center. High wind gusts and heavy downpours often occur in individual rainbands, with relatively calm weather between bands. Tornadoes often form in the rainbands of landfalling tropical cyclones. Annular hurricanes are distinctive for their lack of rainbands.
• Outflow: The upper levels of a tropical cyclone feature winds headed away from the center of the storm with an anticyclonic rotation. Winds at the surface are strongly cyclonic, weaken with height, and eventually reverse themselves. Tropical cyclones owe this unique characteristic to the warm core at the center of the storm.

A large low-pressure system swirls off the southeastern coast of Iceland, illustrating the maxim that nature abhors a vacuum. ... diurnal (daily) rhythm of air pressure in northern Germany (black curve is air pressure) Atmospheric pressure is the pressure above any area in the Earths atmosphere caused by the weight of air. ... Earth (often referred to as The Earth) is the third planet in the solar system in terms of distance from the Sun, and the fifth in order of size. ... For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ... The heat of vaporization is a physical property of substances. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Eye of Category 4 Hurricane Isabel seen from the International Space Station on September 15, 2003 The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. ... Annular hurricanes have a large, symmetric eye surrounded by a ring of intense convection, with hardly any convection (i. ... In meteorology, an anticyclone is a weather phenomenon associated with atmospheric high pressure. ... For the 1928 film, see The Wind. ...

Formation

This TRMM image shows the height of rain columns within Hurricane Irene. The highest towers, the tallest of which reaches about 17 kilometers into the atmosphere, produce the heaviest rain, shown in red. The higher water vapor rises before cooling, the more intense the storm tends to be. Since these towers are like pistons that convert energy from water vapor into a powerful wind-and-rain-producing engine, high towers can be a sign of future strengthening.

Waves in the trade winds in the Atlantic Ocean—areas of converging winds that move along the same track as the prevailing wind—create instabilities in the atmosphere that may lead to the formation of hurricanes.

The formation of tropical cyclones is the topic of extensive ongoing research, and is still not fully understood. Six general factors are necessary to make tropical cyclone formation possible, although tropical cyclones may occasionally form despite not meeting these conditions: Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1256x780, 108 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Tropical cyclone Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1256x780, 108 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Tropical cyclone Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Artist conception of the TRMM satellite. ... B C D E F G H I 10 J K L M N O P R 19 S T 22 V W Αα Ββ Γγ Δδ Εε Ζζ Categories: | | ... Image File history File links http://earthobservatory. ... Image File history File links http://earthobservatory. ...

1. Water temperatures of at least 26.5 °C (80°F)^[9] down to a depth of at least 50 m (150 feet). Waters of this temperature cause the overlying atmosphere to be unstable enough to sustain convection and thunderstorms.^[10]
2. Rapid cooling with height. This allows the release of latent heat, which is the source of energy in a tropical cyclone.^[9]
3. High humidity, especially in the lower-to-mid troposphere. When there is lots of moisture in the atmosphere, conditions are more favourable for disturbances to develop.^[9]
4. Low wind shear. When wind shear is high, the convection in a cyclone or disturbance will be disrupted, blowing the system apart.^[9]
5. Distance from the equator. This allows the Coriolis force to deflect winds blowing towards the low pressure center, causing a circulation. The approximate distance is 500 km (310 miles) or about 5 degrees from the equator.^[9]
6. A pre-existing system of disturbed weather. The system must have some sort of circulation as well as a low pressure center.^[9]

Only specific weather disturbances can result in tropical cyclones. These include: Visualisation of the SST of the ocean just before Hurricane Bob (August 14, 1991) Sea surface temperature (SST) is the water temperature at 1 meter below the sea surface. ... Latent heat describes the amount of energy in the form of heat that is required for a material to undergo a change of phase (also known as change of state). Two latent heats are typically described. ... The Troposphere is the lowermost portion of Earths atmosphere. ... Wind shear jake rinow is the god of technologyis a difference in wind speed or direction between two points in the atmosphere. ... The equator is an imaginary circle drawn around a planet (or other astronomical object) at a distance halfway between the poles. ... In physics, the Coriolis effect is an inertial force first described by Gaspard-Gustave Coriolis, a French scientist, in 1835. ...

1. Tropical waves, or easterly waves, which, as mentioned above, are westward moving areas of convergent winds. This often assists in the development of thunderstorms, which can develop into tropical cyclones. Most tropical cyclones form from these. A similar phenomenon to tropical waves are West African disturbance lines, which are squally lines of convection that form over Africa and move into the Atlantic.
2. Tropical upper tropospheric troughs, which are cold-core upper level lows. A warm-core tropical cyclone may result when one of these (on occasion) works down to the lower levels and produces deep convection.
3. Decaying frontal boundaries may occasionally stall over warm waters and produce lines of active convection. If a low level circulation forms under this convection, it may develop into a tropical cyclone.

... Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... The troposphere is the lowermost portion of Earths atmosphere and the one in which most weather phenomena occur. ... Convection is the transfer of heat by currents within a fluid. ...

Locations of formation

Most tropical cyclones form in a worldwide band of thunderstorm activity called the Intertropical Discontinuity (ITD), also called the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The thunderstorms of the Intertropical Convergence Zone form a line across the eastern Pacific Ocean. ...

Nearly all of these systems form between 10 and 30 degrees of the equator and 87% form within 20 degrees of it. Because the Coriolis effect initiates and maintains tropical cyclone rotation, such cyclones almost never form or move within about 10 degrees of the equator ^[11], where the Coriolis effect is weakest. However, it is possible for tropical cyclones to form within this boundary if there is another source of initial rotation. These conditions are extremely rare, and such storms are believed to form at most once per century. A combination of a pre-existing disturbance, upper level divergence and a monsoon-related cold spell led to Typhoon Vamei at only 1.5 degrees north of the equator in 2001. It is estimated that such conditions occur only once every 400 years.^[12] The equator is an imaginary circle drawn around a planet (or other astronomical object) at a distance halfway between the poles. ... This low pressure system over Iceland spins counter-clockwise due to the Coriolis effect. ... Monsoon in the Vindhya, a mountain chain in central India A monsoon is a (wind) pattern that reverses direction on a seasonal basis. ... Lowest pressure 976 mbar (hPa) Damages Minor Fatalities 0 Areas affected Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia Part of the 2001 Pacific typhoon season, 2001 North Indian cyclone season Typhoon Vamei was the 32nd tropical depression (32W), the 26th named storm, and the 20th typhoon of the 2001 Pacific typhoon season. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

Major basins

There are seven main basins of tropical cyclone formation. They are the north Atlantic Ocean, the eastern and western parts of the Pacific Ocean, the southwestern Pacific, and the southwestern and southeastern Indian Oceans, and the northern Indian Ocean. Worldwide, an average of 80 tropical cyclones form each year.^[13]

• North Atlantic Ocean: The most-studied of all tropical basins, it includes the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical cyclone formation here varies widely from year to year, ranging from over twenty to one per year with an average of around ten.^[13] The United States Atlantic coast, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Islands and Bermuda are frequently affected by storms in this basin. Venezuela, the south-east of Canada and Atlantic "Macaronesian" islands are also occasionally affected. Many of the more intense Atlantic storms are Cape Verde-type hurricanes, which form off the west coast of Africa near the Cape Verde islands.
• North Eastern Pacific Ocean: This is the second most active basin in the world, and the most dense (a large number of storms for a small area of ocean). Storms that form here can affect western Mexico, Hawaii, northern Central America, and on extremely rare occasions, California and Arizona.
• North Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical storm activity in this region frequently affects China, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Taiwan, but also many other countries in South-East Asia, such as Vietnam, South Korea and Indonesia, plus numerous Oceanian islands. This is by far the most active basin, accounting for one-third of all tropical cyclone activity in the world. The coast of China sees the most landfalling tropical cyclones worldwide.^[15]
• Northern Indian Ocean: This basin is divided into two areas, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, with the Bay of Bengal dominating (5 to 6 times more activity). This basin's season has an interesting double peak; one in April and May before the onset of the monsoon, and another in October and November just after.^{[citation needed]} Hurricanes which form in this basin have historically cost the most lives — most notably, the 1970 Bhola cyclone killed 200,000. Nations affected by this basin include India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, and Pakistan. Rarely, a tropical cyclone formed in this basin will affect the Arabian Peninsula.
• South Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical activity in this region largely affects Australia and Oceania.^{[citation needed]}
• South Eastern Indian Ocean: Tropical activity in this region affects Australia and Indonesia.^{[citation needed]}
• South Western Indian Ocean: This basin is the least understood, due to a lack of historical data.^{[citation needed]} Cyclones forming here impact Madagascar, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Kenya.^{[citation needed]}

The U.S. National Hurricane Center is the division of National Weather Services Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes. ... The U.S. National Hurricane Center is the division of National Weather Services Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes. ... On September 11, 1992, Hurricane Iniki caused more than USD $3 billion of damage in Hawaii. ... Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁) is a government agency, which is a central place responsible for gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan. ... IMD logo The India Meteorological Department is a government of India organisation that is responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasts, detecting earthquakes etc. ... The Bureau of Meteorology is an Australian government organisation responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. ... The Bureau of Meteorology is an Australian government organisation responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. ... Météo-France is a French public establishment, tasked with the forecasting and study of weather in France. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean (pronounced or ) Sea is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... Map of Central America Central America is a central region of the Americas. ... This is a list of inhabited islands in the Caribbean. ... Macaronesia Macaronesia is a modern invented collective name for several groups of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean near Europe and North Africa belonging to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde. ... Hurricane Ivan, a category 5 Cape Verde-type hurricane A Cape Verde-type hurricane is an Atlantic hurricane that develops near the Cape Verde islands, off the west coast of Africa. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,941 sq. ... Map of Central America Central America is a central region of the Americas. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  Ranked 6th  - Total 113,998 sq. ... Oceania is a geographical, often geopolitical, region consisting of numerous lands – mostly islands but often including Australia – in the Pacific Ocean and vicinity. ... A map showing the location of the Bay of Bengal. ... Map of the Arabian Sea. ... Monsoon in the Vindhya, a mountain chain in central India A monsoon is a (wind) pattern that reverses direction on a seasonal basis. ... Lowest pressure Unknown Damages Unknown Fatalities 500,000 direct (Deadliest tropical cyclone of all time) Areas affected Bangladesh Part of the 1970 North Indian cyclone season The Bhola cyclone was a powerful tropical cyclone that made landfall in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) on 13 November 1970. ... The Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية) is a peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia consisting mainly of desert. ... Oceania is a geographical, often geopolitical, region consisting of numerous lands – mostly islands but often including Australia – in the Pacific Ocean and vicinity. ...

Unusual formation areas

Hurricane Vince on October 9, 2005 at 2300 UTC near the Madeira Islands.

The following areas spawn tropical cyclones only very rarely. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2000x2000, 594 KB) Summary Hurricane Vince on October 9, 2005 1413 UTC 250m resolution (MODIS visible -> 250m on Navy site) Naval Research Laboratory Uncropped image from http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2000x2000, 594 KB) Summary Hurricane Vince on October 9, 2005 1413 UTC 250m resolution (MODIS visible -> 250m on Navy site) Naval Research Laboratory Uncropped image from http://www. ... The NHCs archive on Hurricane Vince. ... Location Motto of the autonomous region: Das ilhas, as mais belas e livres (Portuguese: Of the islands, the most beautiful and free) Official language Portuguese Capital Funchal Other towns Porto Santo, Machico, Santa Cruz, Câmara de Lobos, Santana, Ribeira Brava, Caniço Area 797 km² Population  - Total (1991)  - Density...

• South Atlantic Ocean: A combination of cooler waters and wind shear makes it very difficult for the South Atlantic to support tropical activity. However, three tropical cyclones have been observed here — a weak tropical storm in 1991 off the coast of Africa, Cyclone Catarina (sometimes also referred to as Aldonça), which made landfall in Brazil in 2004 at Category 1 strength, and a smaller storm in January 2004, east of Salvador, Brazil. The January storm is thought to have reached tropical storm intensity based on scatterometer winds.
• Central North Pacific: Shear in this area of the Pacific Ocean severely limits tropical development, with no storms having formed here since 2002. However, this region is commonly frequented by tropical cyclones that form in the much more favorable Eastern North Pacific Basin.^[16]
• South Eastern Pacific: Tropical cyclone formation is rare in this region; when they do form, it is frequently linked to El Niño episodes. Most of the storms that enter this region formed farther west in the Southwest Pacific. They affect the islands of Polynesia in exceptional instances.^{[citation needed]}
• Mediterranean Sea: Storms which appear similar to tropical cyclones in structure sometimes occur in the Mediterranean basin. Examples of these "Mediterranean tropical cyclones" formed in September 1947, September 1969, January 1982, September 1983, and January 1995. However, there is debate on whether these storms were tropical in nature.^[14]
• Temperate subtropics: areas further than thirty degrees from the equator are not normally conducive to tropical cyclone formation or strengthening, and areas more than forty degrees from the equator are very hostile to such development. The primary limiting factor is water temperatures, although higher shear at increasing latitudes is also a factor. These areas are sometimes frequented by cyclones moving poleward from tropical latitudes. On rare occasions, such as in 1988^[17] and 1975^[18] storms may form or strengthen in this region.
• Low latitudes. Areas within approximately ten degrees latitude of the equator do not experience a significant Coriolis Force, a vital ingredient in tropical cyclone formation. However, in December 2001, Typhoon Vamei formed in the Southern South China Sea and made landfall in Malaysia. It formed from a thunderstorm formation in Borneo that moved into the South China Sea.^[19]
• The Great Lakes: A storm system that appeared similar to a hurricane formed in 1996 on Lake Huron. It formed an eye-like structure in its center, and it may have briefly been a tropical cyclone.^[20]

Wind shear jake rinow is the god of technologyis a difference in wind speed or direction between two points in the atmosphere. ... For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... Cyclone Catarina was an extremely rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone. ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → January 31, 2004 The United States defence budget is set to exceed US$400 billion next year—an almost 7% increase—according to budget proposals inadvertently posted on the Pentagons website. ... Salvador and Baía de Todos os Santos from space, April 1997 Morning Street Scene, Bahia, Brazil, about 1900 This article is about a Brazilian city. ... A radar scatterometer is designed to determine the normalized radar cross section (sigma-0) of the surface. ... Polynesia is generally defined as the islands within the triangle Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a large grouping of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. ... Mediterranean tropical cyclones are an extremely rare weather phenomena occurring on the Mediterranean Sea. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 1988 Atlantic hurricane season was an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. ... First storm formed: June 2, 1975 Last storm dissipated: Nov. ... In physics, the Coriolis effect is an inertial force first described by Gaspard-Gustave Coriolis, a French scientist, in 1835. ... The 2001 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2001, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December. ... Borneo (left) and Sulawesi. ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The Great Lakes from space; Lake Huron is the third from the left. ...

Times of formation

Worldwide, tropical cyclone activity peaks in late summer when water temperatures are the warmest. However, each particular basin has its own seasonal patterns. On a worldwide scale, May is the least active month, while September is the most active.^[21] For other senses of this word, see summer (disambiguation). ... Look up May in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up September in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In the North Atlantic, a distinct hurricane season occurs from June 1 to November 30, sharply peaking from late August through September. The statistical peak of the North Atlantic hurricane season is September 10. The Northeast Pacific has a broader period of activity, but in a similar timeframe to the Atlantic. The Northwest Pacific sees tropical cyclones year-round, with a minimum in February and a peak in early September. In the North Indian basin, storms are most common from April to December, with peaks in May and November.^[21] The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of the earths surface. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 31 days remaining. ... September 10 is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years). ...

In the Southern Hemisphere, tropical cyclone activity begins in late October and ends in May. Southern Hemisphere activity peaks in mid-February to early March.^[21] Southern Hemisphere The Southern Hemisphere is the half of a planets surface (or celestial sphere) that is south of the equator (the word hemisphere literally means half ball). On Earth it contains five continents (Antarctica, Australia, most of South America, parts of Africa, and Asia) as well as four...

Movement and track

Large-scale winds

Although tropical cyclones are large systems generating enormous energy, their movements over the earth's surface are often compared to that of leaves carried along by a stream. That is, large-scale winds—the streams in the earth's atmosphere—are responsible for moving and steering tropical cyclones. The path of motion is referred to as a tropical cyclone's track.

The major force affecting the track of tropical systems in all areas are winds circulating around high-pressure areas. Over the North Atlantic Ocean, tropical systems are steered generally westward by the east-to-west winds on the south side of the Bermuda High, a persistent high-pressure area over the North Atlantic. Also, in the area of the North Atlantic where hurricanes form, trade winds, which are prevailing westward-moving wind currents, steer tropical waves (precursors to tropical depressions and cyclones) westward from off the African coast toward the Caribbean and North America. The trade winds are a pattern of wind found in bands around Earths equatorial region. ...

Coriolis effect

Infrared image of Cyclone Monica near peak intensity, showing clockwise rotation due to the Coriolis effect.

The earth's rotation also imparts an acceleration (termed the Coriolis Acceleration or Coriolis Effect). This acceleration causes cyclonic systems to turn towards the poles in the absence of strong steering currents (i.e. in the north, the northern part of the cyclone has winds to the west, and the Coriolis force pulls them slightly north. The southern part is pulled south, but since it is closer to the equator, the Coriolis force is a bit weaker there). Thus, tropical cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere, which commonly move west in the beginning, normally turn north (and are then usually blown east), and cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere are deflected south, if no strong pressure systems are counteracting the Coriolis Acceleration. The Coriolis acceleration also initiates cyclonic rotation, but it is not the driving force that brings this rotation to high speeds. These speeds are due to the conservation of angular momentum - air is drawn in from an area much larger than the cyclone such that the tiny rotational speed (originially imparted by the Coriolis acceleration) is magnified greatly as the air is drawn in to the low pressure center. Image File history File links Cyclone_Monica. ... Image File history File links Cyclone_Monica. ... Lowest pressure 905 hPa (mbar) Damages Pending assessment Fatalities None recorded Areas affected Far North Queensland, coastal Northern Territory Part of the 2005-06 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season Cyclone Monica, also designated Severe Tropical Cyclone Monica, was a tropical cyclone that affected northern Australia from April 17, 2006 until... Clockwise can refer to: Clockwise and counterclockwise Clockwise (movie) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This low pressure system over Iceland spins counter-clockwise due to the Coriolis effect. ... This low pressure system over Iceland spins counter-clockwise due to the Coriolis effect. ... Gyroscope. ...

Interaction with high and low pressure systems

Finally, when a tropical cyclone moves into higher latitude, its general track around a high-pressure area can be deflected significantly by winds moving toward a low-pressure area. Such a track direction change is termed recurve. A hurricane moving from the Atlantic toward the Gulf of Mexico, for example, will recurve to the north and then northeast if it encounters winds blowing northeastward toward a low-pressure system passing over North America. Many tropical cyclones along the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico are eventually forced toward the northeast by low-pressure areas which move from west to east over North America. Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ...

Strengthening due to warm water currents

Hurricane Katrina encountering the Gulf Loop Current and Eddy Vortex.

Although it has not been shown to affect storm direction, crossing over currents of warmer water is known to rapidly increase storm intensity. The best known of these is the Loop Current, where extremely warm water enters the Gulf of Mexico through the Yucatan Peninsula-Cuba gap and "bulges" towards Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, among others, gained great strength as they tracked over the Loop Current. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1194x917, 218 KB) Summary Obtained by recommendation of Jim Scott, News Services, Colorado University 9/27/2005 cunews@colorado. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1194x917, 218 KB) Summary Obtained by recommendation of Jim Scott, News Services, Colorado University 9/27/2005 cunews@colorado. ... Gulf Stream currents (1943 map). ... Gulf Stream currents (1943 map). ... The Yucatán Peninsula separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico. ... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq. ... Lowest pressure 902 mbar (hPa) Damages $75 billion (2005 USD) (costliest Atlantic hurricane in history) Fatalities ≥1,836 total Areas affected Bahamas, South Florida, Cuba, Louisiana (especially Greater New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Panhandle, most of eastern North America Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Katrina was the... Lowest pressure 895 mbar (hPa)[1] Damages $10 billion (2005 USD)[1] Fatalities 7 direct, 55–112 indirect[citation needed] Areas affected Bahamas, Florida, Cuba, Yucatán Peninsula, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Rita is the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded...

Landfall

Officially, "landfall" is when a storm's center (the center of the eye, not its edge) reaches land. Naturally, storm conditions may be experienced on the coast and inland well before landfall. In fact, for a storm moving inland, the landfall area experiences half the storm before the actual landfall. For emergency preparedness, actions should be timed from when a certain wind speed will reach land, not from when landfall will occur. Hurricane Charley making landfall on August 13, 2004 at its peak intensity. ...

For a list of notable and unusual landfalling hurricanes, see list of notable tropical cyclones. This is a list of notable tropical cyclones, subdivided by basin and reason for notability. ...

Dissipation

A tropical cyclone can cease to have tropical characteristics in several ways:

• It moves over land, thus depriving it of the warm water it needs to power itself, and quickly loses strength. Most strong storms lose their strength very rapidly after landfall, and become disorganized areas of low pressure within a day or two. There is, however, a chance they could regenerate if they manage to get back over open warm water. If a storm is over mountains for even a short time, it can rapidly lose its structure. However, many storm fatalities occur in mountainous terrain, as the dying storm unleashes torrential rainfall which can lead to deadly floods and mudslides.
• It remains in the same area of ocean for too long, drawing heat off of the ocean surface until it becomes too cool to support the storm. Without warm surface water, the storm cannot survive.
• It experiences wind shear, causing the convection to lose direction and the heat engine to break down.
• It can be weak enough to be consumed by another area of low pressure, disrupting it and joining to become a large area of non-cyclonic thunderstorms. (Such, however, can strengthen the non-tropical system as a whole.)
• It enters colder waters. This does not necessarily mean the death of the storm, but the storm will lose its tropical characteristics. These storms are extratropical cyclones.
• An outer eye wall forms (typically around 50 miles from the center of the storm), choking off the convection toward the inner eye wall. Such weakening is generally temporary unless it meets other conditions above.

Even after a tropical cyclone is said to be extratropical or dissipated, it can still have tropical storm force (or occasionally hurricane force) winds and drop several inches of rainfall. When a tropical cyclone reaches higher latitudes or passes over land, it may merge with weather fronts or develop into a frontal cyclone, also called extratropical cyclone. In the Atlantic ocean, such tropical-derived cyclones of higher latitudes can be violent and may occasionally remain at hurricane-force wind speeds when they reach Europe as a European windstorm. Look up flood in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Mudslide in La Conchita, California A mudslide is a landslide of mud. ... Wind shear jake rinow is the god of technologyis a difference in wind speed or direction between two points in the atmosphere. ... Extratropical is a term used in advisories and tropical summaries to indicate that a cyclone has lost its tropical characteristics. ... A guide to the symbols for weather fronts that may be found on a weather map: 1. ... A large low-pressure system swirls off the southeastern coast of Iceland, illustrating the maxim that nature abhors a vacuum. ... Extratropical cyclones lie somewhere in between tropical cyclones and mid-latitude cyclones, drawing a portion of their energy through the evaporation and condensation of ocean water, and some through horizontal temperature gradients in the atmosphere. ... A European windstorm is a severe cyclonic storm that tracks across the North Atlantic towards northwestern Europe in the winter months. ...

Artificial dissipation

In the 1960s and 1970s, the United States government attempted to weaken hurricanes in its Project Stormfury by seeding selected storms with silver iodide. It was thought that the seeding would cause supercooled water in the outer rainbands to freeze, causing the inner eyewall to collapse and thus reducing the winds. The winds of Hurricane Debbie dropped as much as 30 percent, but then regained their strength after each of two seeding forays. In an earlier episode, disaster struck when a hurricane east of Jacksonville, Florida, was seeded, promptly changed its course, and smashed into Savannah, Georgia.^[22] Because there was so much uncertainty about the behavior of these storms, the federal government would not approve seeding operations unless the hurricane had a less than 10 percent chance of making landfall within 48 hours. The project was dropped after it was discovered that eyewall replacement cycles occur naturally in strong hurricanes, casting doubt on the result of the earlier attempts. Today it is known that silver iodide seeding is not likely to have an effect because the amount of supercooled water in the rainbands of a tropical cyclone is too low.^[23] Project Stormfury was an attempt to weaken hurricanes by using cloud seeding in the eyewall of these storms. ... Cloud seeding, also known as weather seeding, is the attempt to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls out of clouds or the structure of clouds by dispersing substances into the air which allow water droplets or ice crystals to form more easily. ... Silver iodide (chemical symbol: AgI) is a chemical compound used in photography and cloud seeding. ... First storm formed: July 25, 1969 Last storm dissipated: Nov. ... Nickname: Where Florida Begins Official website: http://www. ... Nickname The Creative Coast or The Hostess City Location Government County Chatham Mayor Otis S. Johnson Geographical characteristics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 202. ... Eye of Category 4 Hurricane Isabel seen from the International Space Station on September 15, 2003 The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. ...

Other approaches have been suggested over time, including cooling the water under a tropical cyclone by towing icebergs into the tropical oceans; dropping large quantities of ice into the eye at very early stages so that latent heat is absorbed by ice at the entrance (storm cell perimeter bottom) instead of heat energy being converted to kinetic energy at high altitudes vertically above; covering the ocean in a substance that inhibits evaporation; or blasting the cyclone apart with nuclear weapons. These approaches all suffer from the same flaw: tropical cyclones are simply too large for any of them to be practical.^[24] An iceberg off Antarctica An iceberg (a partial loan translation, probably from Dutch ijsberg (literally: mountain of ice),[1] cognate to German Eisberg) is a large piece of ice that has broken off from a snow-formed glacier or ice shelf and is floating in open water. ...

However, it has been suggested by some that we can change the course of a storm during its early stages of formation,^{[citation needed]} such as using satellites to alter the environmental conditions or, more realistically, spreading a degradable film of oil over the ocean, which prevent water vapor from fueling the storm.

Effects

Pie graph of American tropical cyclone casualties by cause from 1970-1999

A mature tropical cyclone can release heat at a rate upwards of 6x10¹⁴ watts.^[2] Tropical cyclones on the open sea cause large waves, heavy rain, and high winds, disrupting international shipping and sometimes sinking ships. However, the most devastating effects of a tropical cyclone occur when they cross coastlines, making landfall. A tropical cyclone moving over land can do direct damage in four ways: One of the most significant threats from tropical cyclones is heavy rainfall. ... Image File history File links Cyclone_deaths. ... Image File history File links Cyclone_deaths. ...

• High winds - Hurricane strength winds can damage or destroy vehicles, buildings, bridges, etc. High winds also turn loose debris into flying projectiles, making the outdoor environment even more dangerous.
• Storm surge - Tropical cyclones cause an increase in sea level, which can flood coastal communities. This is the worst effect, as historically cyclones claimed 80% of their victims when they first strike shore.
• Heavy rain - The thunderstorm activity in a tropical cyclone causes intense rainfall. Rivers and streams flood, roads become impassable, and landslides can occur. Inland areas are particularly vulnerable to freshwater flooding, due to residents not preparing adequately.^[25]
• Tornado activity - The broad rotation of a hurricane often spawns tornadoes. Also, tornadoes can be spawned as a result of eyewall mesovortices which perisist until landfall. While these tornadoes are normally not as strong as their non-tropical counterparts, they can still cause tremendous damage.^[26]

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Gulfport, Mississippi. Katrina was the costliest tropical cyclone in United States history.

Often, the secondary effects of a tropical cyclone are equally damaging. These include: Wind is the roughly horizontal movement of air (as opposed to an air current) caused by uneven heating of the Earths surface. ... ... Rain falling For other uses see Rain (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A flood (in Old English flod, a word common to Teutonic languages; compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float) is an overflow of water, an expanse of water submerging land, a deluge. ... Union City, Oklahoma tornado (1973) A tornado is a violently rotating column of air which is in contact with both a cumulonimbus (or, in rare cases, cumulus) cloud base and the surface of the earth. ... Eyewall mesovortices are small scale rotational features found in the eyewall of very intense tropical cyclones. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (3008x2000, 2706 KB) Hurricane Katrina damage in Long Beach, Mississippi, which is west of Gulfport and east of Pass Christian. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (3008x2000, 2706 KB) Hurricane Katrina damage in Long Beach, Mississippi, which is west of Gulfport and east of Pass Christian. ... Lowest pressure 902 mbar (hPa) Damages $75 billion (2005 USD) (costliest Atlantic hurricane in history) Fatalities ≥1,836 total Areas affected Bahamas, South Florida, Cuba, Louisiana (especially Greater New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Panhandle, most of eastern North America Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Katrina was the... Gulfport, Mississippi city flag. ...

• Disease - The wet environment in the aftermath of a tropical cyclone, combined with the destruction of sanitation facilities and a warm tropical climate, can induce epidemics of disease which claim lives long after the storm passes. One of the most common post-hurricane injuries is stepping on a nail in storm debris, leading to a risk of tetanus or other infection. Infections of cuts and bruises can be greatly amplified by wading in sewage-polluted water. Large areas of standing water caused by flooding also contribute to mosquito-borne illnesses.
• Power outages - Tropical cyclones often knock out power to tens or hundreds of thousands of people (or occasionally millions if a large urban area is affected), prohibiting vital communication and hampering rescue efforts.
• Transportation difficulties - Tropical cyclones often destroy key bridges, overpasses, and roads, complicating efforts to transport food, clean water, and medicine to the areas that need it.

A pile of nails Nails This article is about nails as used in engineering. ... Tetanus is a serious and often fatal disease caused by the neurotoxin tetanospasmin which is produced by the Gram-positive, obligate anaerobic bacterium Clostridium tetani. ... The Lachine Canal, in Montreal, is badly polluted Pollution is the release of harmful environmental contaminants, or the substances so released. ...

Beneficial effects of tropical cyclones

Although cyclones take an enormous toll in lives and personal property, they may be important factors in the precipitation regimes of places they impact, and bring much-needed precipitation to otherwise dry regions. Hurricanes in the eastern north Pacific often supply moisture to the Southwestern United States and parts of Mexico.^[27] Japan receives over half of its rainfall from typhoons.^[28] Hurricane Camille averted drought conditions and ended water deficits along much of its path.^[29] Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Lowest pressure ≤905 mbar (hPa) (official)[1] ≤901 mbar (hPa) (unofficial)[1] Damages $1. ...

In addition, the destruction caused by Camille on the Gulf coast spurred redevelopment as well, greatly increasing local property values.^[29] On the other hand, disaster response officials point out that redevelopment encourages more people to live in clearly dangerous areas subject to future deadly storms. Hurricane Katrina is the most obvious example, as it devastated the region that had been revitalized by Hurricane Camille. Of course, many former residents and businesses do relocate to inland areas away from the threat of future hurricanes as well. Lowest pressure 902 mbar (hPa) Damages $75 billion (2005 USD) (costliest Atlantic hurricane in history) Fatalities ≥1,836 total Areas affected Bahamas, South Florida, Cuba, Louisiana (especially Greater New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Panhandle, most of eastern North America Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Katrina was the...

Hurricanes also help to maintain global heat balance by moving warm, moist tropical air to the mid-latitudes and polar regions. James Lovelock has also hypothesised that by raising nutrients from the sea floor to surface layers of the ocean, hurricanes also increase biological activity in areas where life would be difficult through nutrient loss in the deeper reaches of the ocean.^{[citation needed]} James Lovelock in front of a statue of Gaia in 2000 James Ephraim Lovelock (born July 26, 1919), FRS, is an independent scientist, author, researcher and environmentalist who lives in Cornwall, in the south west of Great Britain. ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ... Thermohaline circulation Oceanography (from Ocean + Greek γράφειν = write), also called oceanology or marine science is the study of the Earths oceans and seas. ...

At sea, tropical cyclones can stir up water, leaving a cool wake behind them.^[6] This can cause the region to be less favourable for a subsequent tropical cyclone. On rare occasions, tropical cyclones may actually do the opposite. 2005's Hurricane Dennis blew warm water behind it, contributing to the unprecedented intensity of the close-following Hurricane Emily.^[30] Hurricane Dennis was the fourth named storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. ... This article is about the 2005 hurricane. ...

Long term trends in cyclone activity

While the number of storms in the Atlantic has increased since 1995, there seems to be no signs of a global trend; the annual global number of tropical cyclones remains about 90 ± 10.^[31]

Atlantic storms are certainly becoming more destructive financially, since five of the ten most expensive storms in United States history have occurred since 1990. This can, to a large extent, be attributed to the number of people living in susceptible coastal area, and massive development in the region since the last surge in Atlantic hurricane activity in the 1960s. This article is about the year. ...

Often in part because of the threat of hurricanes, many coastal regions had sparse population between major ports until the advent of automobile tourism; therefore, the most severe portions of hurricanes striking the coast often went unmeasured. The combined effects of ship destruction and remote landfall severely limit the number of intense hurricanes in the official record before the era of hurricane reconnaissance aircraft and satellite meteorology. Although the record shows a distinct increase in the number and strength of intense hurricanes, therefore, experts regard the early data as suspect.

The number and strength of Atlantic hurricanes may undergo a 50-70-year cycle. Although more common since 1995, few above-normal hurricane seasons occurred during 1970-1994. Destructive hurricanes struck frequently from 1926-60, including many major New England hurricanes. A record 21 Atlantic tropical storms formed in 1933, only recently exceeded in 2005. Tropical hurricanes occurred infrequently during the seasons of 1900-1925; however, many intense storms formed 1870-1899. During the 1887 season, 19 tropical storms formed, of which a record 4 occurred after 1 November and 11 strengthened into hurricanes. Few hurricanes occurred in the 1840s to 1860s; however, many struck in the early 1800s, including an 1821 storm that made a direct hit on New York City which some historical weather experts say may have been as high as Category 4 in strength. November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... The coronation banquet for George IV 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Nickname The Big Apple, The Capital of the World [1], Gotham Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area  - City    - Land    - Water  - Urban  - Metro 1,214. ...

These unusually active hurricane seasons predated satellite coverage of the Atlantic basin that now enables forecasters to see all tropical cyclones. Before the satellite era began in 1961, tropical storms or hurricanes went undetected unless a ship reported a voyage through the storm. The official record, therefore, probably misses many storms in which no ship experienced gale-force winds, recognized it as a tropical storm (as opposed to a high-latitude extra-tropical cyclone, a tropical wave, or a brief squall), returned to port, and reported the experience.

Global warming?

A common question is whether global warming can or will cause more frequent or more fierce tropical cyclones. So far, virtually all climatologists seem to agree that a single storm, or even a single season, cannot clearly be attributed to a single cause such as global warming or natural variation.^[32] The question is thus whether a statistical trend in frequency or strength of cyclones exists. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says in their Hurricane FAQ that "it is highly unlikely that global warming has (or will) contribute to a drastic change in the number or intensity of hurricanes."^[33] Global mean surface temperatures 1856 to 2005; this map shows mean surface temperature anomalies during the period 1995 to 2004 with respect to the average temperatures from 1940 to 1980 Global warming refers to the observed increases in the average temperature of the Earths atmosphere and oceans in recent... Climatology is the science that studies climates and investigates their phenomena and causes. ... A graph of a bell curve in a normal distribution showing statistics used in educational assessment, comparing various grading methods. ... Look up Trend in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Trend The word trend has a number of possible meanings: In statistics, a trend is a long-term movement in time series data after other components have been accounted for. ... Motto: E pluribus unum (1789 to 1956) (Latin: Out of Many, One) In God We Trust (1956 to present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at federal level; English de facto Government • President • Vice President Federal Republic George... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. ...

Regarding strength, a similar conclusion was the prevailing consensus, until recently, when it was questioned by Kerry Emanuel. In an article in Nature,^[34] Emanuel states that the potential hurricane destructiveness, a measure which combines strength, duration, and frequency of hurricanes, "is highly correlated with tropical sea surface temperature, reflecting well-documented climate signals, including multidecadal oscillations in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, and global warming." K. Emanuel further predicts "a substantial increase in hurricane-related losses in the twenty-first century."^[35] Kerry Emanuel is an American Professor of Meteorology currently working at MIT in Boston. ... First title page, November 4, 1869 Nature is one of the oldest and most reputable scientific journals, first published on 4 November 1869. ...

Along similar lines, P.J. Webster and others published an article^[36] in Science^[37] examining "changes in tropical cyclone number, duration, and intensity" over the last 35 years, a period where satellite data is available. The main finding is that while the number of cyclones "decreased in all basins except the North Atlantic during the past decade" there is a "large increase in the number and proportion of hurricanes reaching categories 4 and 5." That is, while the number of cyclones decreased overall, the number of very strong cyclones increased. Science, the journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), is one of the worlds most prestigious scientific publications. ...

Both Emanuel and Webster et al., consider the sea surface temperature as of key importance in the development of cyclones. The question then becomes: what caused the observed increase in sea surface temperatures? In the Atlantic, it could be due to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), a 50–70 year pattern of temperature variability. Emanuel, however, found the recent temperature increase was outside the range of previous oscillations. So, both a natural variation (such as the AMO) and global warming could have made contributions to the warming of the tropical Atlantic over the past decades, but an exact attribution is so far impossible to make.^[32] Upper: AMO index: the ten-year running mean of detrended Atlantic sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA, °C) north of the equator. ...

While Emanuel analyzes total annual energy dissipation, Webster et al. analyze the slightly less relevant percentage of hurricanes in the combined categories 4 and 5, and find that this percentage has increased in each of six distinct hurricane basins: North Atlantic, North East and North West Pacific, South Pacific, and North and South Indian. Because each individual basin may be subject to intra-basin oscillations similar to the AMO, any single-basin statistic remains open to question. But if the local oscillations are not synchronized by some as-yet-unidentified global oscillation, the independence of the basins allows joint statistical tests that are more powerful than any set of individual basin tests. Unfortunately Webster et al. do not undertake any such test.

Under the assumption that the six basins are statistically independent except for the effect of global warming,^[38] has carried out the obvious paired t-test and found that the null-hypothesis of no impact of global warming on the percentage of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes can be rejected at the 0.1% level. Thus, there is only a 1 in 1000 chance of simultaneously finding the observed six increases in the percentages of Category 4 or 5 hurricanes. This statistic needs refining because the variables being tested are not normally distributed with equal variances, but it may provide the best evidence yet that the impact of global warming on hurricane intensity has been detected. A t-test is any statistical hypothesis test in which the test statistic has a Students t-distribution if the null hypothesis is true. ...

Observation and forecasting

Observation

Sunset view of Hurricane Isidore's rainbands photographed at 7,000 feet.

Intense tropical cyclones pose a particular observation challenge. As they are a dangerous oceanic phenomenon, weather stations are rarely available on the site of the storm itself. Surface level observations are generally available only if the storm is passing over an island or a coastal area, or it has overtaken an unfortunate ship. Even in these cases, real-time measurement taking is generally possible only in the periphery of the cyclone, where conditions are less catastrophic. Image File history File linksMetadata Isidore091902-p3sunset2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Isidore091902-p3sunset2. ... Hurricane Isidore was the ninth named storm out of twelve to hit during the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season. ... A technician checks data from a weather station. ...

It is however possible to take in-situ measurements, in real-time, by sending specially equipped reconnaissance flights into the cyclone. In the Atlantic basin, these flights are regularly flown by United States government hurricane hunters. ^[39] The aircraft used are WC-130 Hercules and WP-3D Orions, both four-engine turboprop cargo aircraft. These aircraft fly directly into the cyclone and take direct and remote-sensing measurements. The aircraft also launch GPS dropsondes inside the cyclone. These sondes measure temperature, humidity, pressure, and especially winds between flight level and the ocean's surface. In situ (in place in Latin), a term used in: biology, where it means to examine the phenomenon exactly in place where it occurs (without removing it in some special medium etc. ... The patch of the 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Hurricane Hunters is the nickname given to the U.S. Air Force Reserves 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, whose fleet of ten WC-130 Hercules aircraft and crews are part of the 403d Wing, based at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi. ... The WC-130 Hercules is a high-wing, medium-range aircraft flown by the Air Force Reserve Command for weather reconnaissance missions. ... Categories: Stub | Special-purpose aircraft ... A schematic diagram showing the operation of a turboprop engine. ... A device created by National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to more accurately track tropical storm conditions. ...

A new era in hurricane observation began when a remotely piloted Aerosonde, a small drone aircraft, was flown through Tropical Storm Ophelia as it passed Virginia's Eastern Shore during the 2005 hurricane season. This demonstrated a new way to probe the storms at low altitudes that human pilots seldom dare.^[40] Aerosonde may be: the Insitu Aerosonde, a UAV Aerosonde Ltd, an Australian manufacturer of UAVs, including the above aircraft This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Tropical cyclones far from land are tracked by weather satellites capturing visible and infrared images from space, usually at half-hour to quarter-hour intervals. As a storm approaches land, it can be observed by land-based Doppler radar. Radar plays a crucial role around landfall because it shows a storm's location and intensity minute by minute. A weather satellite is a type of artificial satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather and climate of the Earth. ... The optical spectrum (light or visible spectrum) is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. ... Image of a small dog taken in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than that of visible light, but shorter than that of microwave radiation. ... Doppler radar uses the Doppler effect to measure the relative velocity information from a radar system. ...

Recently, academic researchers have begun to deploy mobile weather stations fortified to withstand hurricane-force winds. The two largest programs are the Florida Coastal Monitoring Program ^[41] and the Wind Engineering Mobile Instrumented Tower Experiment. ^[42] During landfall, the NOAA Hurricane Research Division compares and verifies data from reconnaissance aircraft, including wind speed data taken at flight level and from GPS dropwindsondes and stepped-frequency microwave radiometers, to wind speed data transmitted in real time from weather stations erected near or at the coast. The National Hurricane Center uses the data to evaluate conditions at landfall and to verify forecasts.

Forecasting

Hurricane Epsilon strengthened and organized in the Central North Atlantic Ocean despite highly unfavorable conditions. This unusual system defied most NHC forecasts and demonstrated the difficulties of predicting tropical cyclones.

Because of the forces that affect tropical cyclone tracks, accurate track predictions depend on determining the position and strength of high- and low-pressure areas, and predicting how those areas will change during the life of a tropical system. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3032x2007, 942 KB) Summary This view of Hurricane Epsilon in the Atlantic Ocean was photographed at 15:36:18 GMT on Dec. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3032x2007, 942 KB) Summary This view of Hurricane Epsilon in the Atlantic Ocean was photographed at 15:36:18 GMT on Dec. ... Hurricane Epsilon was the twenty-sixth named storm and the fifteenth hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. ... The U.S. National Hurricane Center is the division of National Weather Services Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes. ...

With their understanding of the forces that act on tropical cyclones, and a wealth of data from earth-orbiting satellites and other sensors, scientists have increased the accuracy of track forecasts over recent decades. High-speed computers and sophisticated simulation software allow forecasters to produce computer models that forecast tropical cyclone tracks based on the future position and strength of high- and low-pressure systems. But while track forecasts have become more accurate than 20 years ago, scientists say they are less skillful at predicting the intensity of tropical cyclones. They attribute the lack of improvement in intensity forecasting to the complexity of tropical systems and an incomplete understanding of factors that affect their development. Hurricane Epsilon defied and frustrated forecasters by persisting in a hostile environment for a remarkably long time A tropical cyclone prediction model is a computer program that uses meteorological data to predict the motion and intensity of tropical cyclones. ...

Classifications, Terminology and Naming

Intensity classifications

Tropical Depression 19, which formed during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, showing the lack of organization in tropical depressions when compared to stronger cyclones.

Tropical cyclones are classified into three main groups, based on intensity: tropical depressions, tropical storms, and a third group of more intense storms, whose name depends on the region. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x1024, 246 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x1024, 246 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, shattering previous records on repeated occasions. ...

A tropical depression is an organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of less than 17 m/s (33 kt, 38 mph, or 62 km/h). It has no eye, and does not typically have the organization or the spiral shape of more powerful storms. It is already a low-pressure system, however, hence the name "depression." Metre per second (U.S. spelling: meter per second) is an SI derived unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector), defined by distance in metres divided by time in seconds. ... A knot is a unit of speed, abbreviated kt or kn. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Kilometre per hour (American spelling: kilometer per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ...

A tropical storm is an organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds between 17 and 32 m/s (34–63 kt, 39–73 mph, or 62–117 km/h). At this point, the distinctive cyclonic shape starts to develop, though an eye is usually not present. Government weather services assign first names to systems that reach this intensity (thus the term named storm).

At hurricane and typhoon intensity, a system with sustained winds greater than 33 m/s (64 kt, 74 mph, or 118 km/h), a tropical cyclone tends to develop an eye, an area of relative calm (and lowest atmospheric pressure) at the center of circulation. The eye is often visible in satellite images as a small, circular, cloud-free spot. Surrounding the eye is the eyewall, an area about 10–50 mi (16–80 km) wide in which the strongest thunderstorms and winds circulate around the storm's center.

The circulation of clouds around a cyclone's center imparts a distinct spiral shape to the system. Bands or arms may extend over great distances as clouds are drawn toward the cyclone. The direction of the cyclonic circulation depends on the hemisphere; it is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Maximum sustained winds in the strongest tropical cyclones have been measured at more than 85 m/s (165 kt, 190 mph, 305 km/h). Intense, mature hurricanes can sometimes exhibit an inward curving of the eyewall top that resembles a football stadium: this phenomenon is thus sometimes referred to as the stadium effect. Insert non-formatted text here The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planets surface (or celestial sphere) that is north of the equator (the word hemisphere literally means half ball). On the Earth, the Northern Hemisphere contains most of the land and population. ... Southern Hemisphere The Southern Hemisphere is the half of a planets surface (or celestial sphere) that is south of the equator (the word hemisphere literally means half ball). On Earth it contains five continents (Antarctica, Australia, most of South America, parts of Africa, and Asia) as well as four... This picture, taken by Scott A. Dommin, a typhoon/hurricane hunter, presents the stadium effect of Super Typhoon Forrest (1983) as seen from a distance The stadium effect is a rare phenomenon appearing in hurricanes in which the inward curvature of the cumulonimbi top forming the eyewall of the hurricane...

Eyewall replacement cycles naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones. When cyclones reach peak intensity they usually - but not always - have an eyewall and radius of maximum winds that contract to a very small size, around 5 to 15 miles. At this point, some of the outer rainbands may organize into an outer ring of thunderstorms that slowly moves inward and robs the inner eyewall of its needed moisture and momentum. During this phase, the tropical cyclone is weakening (i.e. the maximum winds die off a bit and the central pressure goes up). Eventually the outer eyewall replaces the inner one completely and the storm can be the same intensity as it was previously or, in some cases, even stronger. Eye of Category 4 Hurricane Isabel seen from the International Space Station on September 15, 2003 The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. ...

Categories and ranking

Main article: Tropical cyclone scales

The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view.
Please improve the article or discuss the issue on the talk page.

Hurricanes are ranked according to their maximum winds using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. A Category 1 storm has the lowest maximum winds (74-95 mph, 119-153 km/h), a Category 5 hurricane has the highest (> 155 mph, 249 km/h). The U.S. National Hurricane Center classifies hurricanes of Category 3 and above as major hurricanes. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a scale classifying most Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the levels of tropical depression and tropical storm and thereby become hurricanes. ... NASA QuikSCAT image of Typhoon Nesat (2005) showing the near-surface winds generated by the storm 10 meters above the ocean. ... Image File history File links Nuvola_apps_browser. ... The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a scale classifying most Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the levels of tropical depression and tropical storm and thereby become hurricanes. ... Motto: E pluribus unum (1789 to 1956) (Latin: Out of Many, One) In God We Trust (1956 to present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at federal level; English de facto Government • President • Vice President Federal Republic George... The U.S. National Hurricane Center is the division of National Weather Services Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes. ...

The U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center classifies West Pacific typhoons as tropical cyclones with winds greater than 73 mph (118 km/h). Typhoons with wind speeds of at least 150 mph (67 m/s or 241 km/h, equivalent to a strong Category 4 hurricane) are dubbed Super Typhoons. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a division of the United States Navys Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. ...

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology uses a 1-5 scale called tropical cyclone severity categories. Unlike the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, severity categories are based on estimated maximum wind gusts. A category 1 storm features gusts less than 126 km/h (78 mph), while gusts in a category 5 cyclone are at least 280 km/h (174 mph). The Bureau of Meteorology is an Australian government organisation responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. ... The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a scale classifying most Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the levels of tropical depression and tropical storm and thereby become hurricanes. ... Wind is the quasi-horizontal movement of air (as opposed to an air current) caused by a horizontal pressure gradient force. ...

Meteorologists in the United States use maximum 1-minute average sustained winds 10 meters above the ground to determine tropical cyclone strength. Other countries use the maximum 10-minute average, as suggested by the World Meteorological Organization. Maximum wind speeds are typically about 12% lower with the 10-minute method than with the 1-minute method. ^[43][44]

The rankings are not absolute in terms of damage and other effects. Lower-category storms can inflict greater damage than higher-category storms, depending on factors such as local terrain and total rainfall. For instance, a Category 2 hurricane that strikes a major urban area will likely do more damage than a large Category 5 hurricane that strikes a mostly rural region. In fact, tropical systems of minimal strength can produce significant damage and human casualties from flooding and landslides.

Regional terminology

Eye of Typhoon Odessa, Pacific Ocean, August 1985.

Terms used in weather reports for tropical cyclones that have surface winds over 64 knots (73.6 mph) or 32 m/s vary by region: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (640x640, 63 KB)Eye of Typhoon Odessa, Pacific Ocean August 1985. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (640x640, 63 KB)Eye of Typhoon Odessa, Pacific Ocean August 1985. ... Kikyo is the prettiest anime girl/priestess!! ... This article is about the year. ... A knot is a unit of speed, abbreviated kt or kn. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Metre per second (U.S. spelling: meter per second) is an SI derived unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector), defined by distance in metres divided by time in seconds. ...

• Hurricane: Atlantic basin and North Pacific Ocean east of the International date line
• Typhoon: Northwest Pacific west of the dateline
• Severe tropical cyclone: Southwest Pacific west of 160°E and the southeast Indian Ocean east of 90°E
• Severe cyclonic storm: North Indian Ocean
• Tropical cyclone: Southwest Indian Ocean and the South Pacific east of 160°E.
• Cyclone (unofficially): South Atlantic Ocean

There are many regional names for tropical cyclones, including baguio in the Philippines and Taino in Haiti. The Atlantic Basin includes the main body of the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, but ommits other bodies of water considered to be a part of the Atlantic Ocean in the broad sense, such as the Mediteranean Sea. ... The International Date Line around 180° The International Date Line is an imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, which offsets the hours that are added or subtracted as one travels east or west through successive time zones. ... Baguio City is a 1st class highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. ...

Origin of storm terms

The word typhoon has two possible origins:

• From the Chinese 大風 (daaih fūng (Cantonese); dà fēng (Mandarin)) which means "great wind." (The Chinese term as 颱風 táifēng, and 台風 taifu in Japanese, has an independent origin traceable variously to 風颱, 風篩 or 風癡 hongthai, going back to Song 宋 (960-1278) and Yuan 元(1260-1341) dynasties. The first record of the character 颱 appeared in 1685's edition of Summary of Taiwan 臺灣記略).^{[citation needed]}
• From Urdu, Persian or Arabic ţūfān (طوفان) < Greek tuphōn (Τυφών).^{[citation needed]}Portuguese tufão is also related to typhoon. See Typhon for more information.

The word hurricane is derived from the name of a native Caribbean Amerindian storm god, Huracan, via Spanish huracán.^[45] This article is on all of the Yue dialects. ... This article is on all of the Northern Chinese dialects. ... Wind is the roughly horizontal movement of air (as opposed to an air current) caused by uneven heating of the Earths surface. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Persian is a language spoken in Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... Countries where Arabic is spoken. ... Typhon (Typhaon, Typhoeus, Typhus), in Greek mythology, was the final son of Gaia, this time with Tartarus, the offspring of the Earth and the cavernous void beneath: But when Zeus had driven the Titans from heaven, huge Earth bare her youngest child Typhoeus of the love of —Hesiod, Theogony 820... Typhon (Typhaon, Typhoeus, Typhus), in Greek mythology, was the final son of Gaia, this time with Tartarus, the offspring of the Earth and the cavernous void beneath: But when Zeus had driven the Titans from heaven, huge Earth bare her youngest child Typhoeus of the love of —Hesiod, Theogony 820... Central America and the Caribbean (detailed pdf map) The Caribbean, (Spanish: Caribe; French: Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Dutch: Cariben or Caraïben, or more commonly Antillen) or the West Indies, is a group of islands and countries which are in or border the Caribbean Sea which lies on... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... Michelangelos depiction of God in the painting Creation of the Sun and Moon in the Sistine Chapel Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, one of the manifestations of the ultimate reality or God in Hinduism This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... In Maya mythology, Huracan (one legged) was a wind, storm and fire god and one of the creator deities who participated in all three attempts at creating humanity. ...

The word cyclone was coined by a Captain Henry Piddington, who used it to refer to the storm that blew a freighter in circles in Mauritius in February of 1845.^[46]

Naming of tropical cyclones

Main article: Lists of tropical cyclone names

Storms reaching tropical storm strength are given names, to assist in recording insurance claims, to assist in warning people of the coming storm, and to further indicate that these are important storms that should not be ignored. These names are taken from lists which vary from region to region and are drafted a few years ahead of time. The lists are decided upon, depending on the regions, either by committees of the World Meteorological Organization (called primarily to discuss many other issues), or by national weather offices involved in the forecasting of the storms. Because of their long-term persistence, and the need for a unique identifier in issuing forecasts and warnings, tropical cyclones are given names. ... The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 187 Member States and Territories. ...

Each year, the names of particularly destructive storms (if there are any) are "retired" and new names are chosen to take their place.

Naming schemes

Further information: List of notable tropical cyclones

The WMO's Regional Association IV Hurricane Committee selects the names for Atlantic Basin and central and eastern Pacific storms. This is a list of notable tropical cyclones, subdivided by basin and reason for notability. ...

In the Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific regions, feminine and masculine names are assigned alternately in alphabetic order during a given season. The "gender" of the season's first storm also alternates year to year: the first storm of an odd-numbered year gets feminine name, while the first storm of an even-numbered year gets a masculine name. Six lists of names are prepared in advance, and each list is used once every six years. Five letters — "Q," "U," "X," "Y" and "Z" — are omitted in the Atlantic; only "Q" and "U" are omitted in the Eastern Pacific, so the format accommodates 21 or 24 named storms in a hurricane season. Names of storms may be retired by request of affected countries if they have caused extensive damage. The affected countries then decide on a replacement name of the same gender, and if possible, the same ethnicity, as the name being retired.

If there are more than 21 named storms in an Atlantic season or 24 named storms in an Eastern Pacific season, the rest are named as letters from the Greek alphabet: the twenty-second storm is called "Alpha," the twenty-third "Beta," and so on. This was first necessary during the 2005 season when the list was exhausted. There is no precedent for a storm named with a Greek Letter causing enough damage to justify retirement; how this situation would be handled is unknown. Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, shattering previous records on repeated occasions. ...

In the Central North Pacific region, the name lists are maintained by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Four lists of Hawaiian names are selected and used in sequential order without regard to year. On September 11, 1992, Hurricane Iniki caused more than USD $3 billion of damage in Hawaii. ... Honolulu redirects here. ... Hawaiian is the ancestral language of the indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands, the Hawaiians, a Polynesian people. ...

In the Western North Pacific, name lists are maintained by the WMO Typhoon Committee. Five lists of names are used, with each of the 14 nations on the Typhoon Committee submitting two names to each list. Names are used in the order of the countries' English names, sequentially without regard to year. Since 1981, the numbering system had been the primary system to identify tropical cyclone among Typhoon Committee members and it is still in use. International numbers are assigned by Japan Meteorological Agency on the order that a tropical storm forms while different internal numbers may be assigned by different NMCs. The Typhoon "Songda" in September 2004 was internally called the typhoon number 18 in Japan but typhoon number 19 in China. Internationally, it is recorded as the TY Sonda (0418) with "04" taken from the year. Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁) is a government agency, which is a central place responsible for gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan. ...

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology maintains three lists of names, one for each of the Western, Northern and Eastern Australian regions. There are also Fiji region and Papua New Guinea region names. The Bureau of Meteorology is an Australian government organisation responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. ...

The Seychelles Meteorological Service maintains a list for the Southwest Indian Ocean. There, a new list is used each year.

Renaming of tropical cyclones

In most cases, a tropical cyclone retains its name throughout its life. However, a tropical cyclone may be renamed in several occasions.

1. A tropical storm enters the southwestern Indian Ocean from the east

   In the southwestern Indian Ocean, Metéo France in Réunion names a tropical storm once it crosses 90°E from the east, even though it has been named. In this case, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) will put two names together with a hyphen. Examples include Cyclone Adeline-Juliet in early 2005 and Cyclone Bertie-Alvin in late 2005.

2. A tropical storm crosses from the Atlantic into the Pacific, or vice versa, before 2001

   It was the policy of National Hurricane Center (NHC) to rename a tropical storm which crossed from Atlantic into Pacific, or vice versa. Examples include Hurricane Cesar-Douglas in 1996 and Hurricane Joan-Miriam in 1988.^[47]

   In 2001, when Iris moved across Central America, NHC mentioned that Iris would retain its name if it regenerated in the Pacific. However, the Pacific tropical depression developed from the remnants of Iris was called Fifteen-E instead. The depression later became tropical storm Manuel.

   NHC explained that Iris had dissipated as a tropical cyclone prior to entering the eastern North Pacific basin; the new depression was properly named Fifteen-E, rather than Iris.^[48]

   In 2003, when Larry was about to move across Mexico, NHC attempted to provide greater clarity:

   "Should Larry remain a tropical cyclone during its passage over Mexico into the Pacific, it would retain its name. However, a new name would be given if the surface circulation dissipates and then regenerates in the Pacific."^[49]

   Up to now, there has been no tropical cyclone retaining its name during the passage from Atlantic to Pacific, or vice versa.

3. Uncertainties of the continuation

   When the remnants of a tropical cyclone redevelop, the redeveloping system will be treated as a new tropical cyclone if there are uncertainties of the continuation, even though the original system may contribute to the forming of the new system. One example is Tropical Depression 10-Tropical Depression 12 (which became Hurricane Katrina) from 2005.

4. Human errors

   Sometimes, there may be human faults leading to the renaming of a tropical cyclone. This is especially true if the system is poorly organized or if it passes from the area of responsibility of one forecaster to another. Examples include Tropical Storm Ken-Lola in 1989^[50] and Tropical Storm Upana Chanchu in 2000^[51]

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a division of the United States Navys Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. ... The 2004-05 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season ran from your asshole to [[July 1 2005, reaching its peak mid-February to early March. ... The 2005-06 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season runs year-round, starting on July 1, 2005 and ending June 30, 2006, reaching its peak mid-February to early March. ... The U.S. National Hurricane Center is the division of National Weather Services Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes. ... Hurricane Cesar was the third named storm of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season. ... ... The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season officially began June 1, 2005 and officially ended on November 30, 2005 although effectively the season persisted into January of 2006 due to continued storm activity. ... Lowest pressure 902 mbar (hPa) Damages $75 billion (2005 USD) (costliest Atlantic hurricane in history) Fatalities ≥1,836 total Areas affected Bahamas, South Florida, Cuba, Louisiana (especially Greater New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Panhandle, most of eastern North America Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Katrina was the... The 1989 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1989, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December. ... The 1989 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1989, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December. ... Pacific Hurricane Seasons 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 The 2000 Pacific hurricane season officially started May 15, 2000 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 2000 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 2000. ...

History of tropical cyclone naming

For several hundred years after Europeans arrived in the West Indies, hurricanes there were named after the saint's day on which the storm struck. The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with a saint, and referring to the day as the saints day of that saint. ...

The practice of giving storms people's names was introduced by Clement Lindley Wragge, an Anglo-Australian meteorologist at the end of the 19th century. He used girls' names, the names of politicians who had offended him, and names from history and mythology.^[52][53] Portrait of Clement Lindley Wragge. ... Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting. ...

During World War II, tropical cyclones were given feminine names, mainly for the convenience of the forecasters and in a somewhat ad hoc manner. In addition, George R. Stewart's 1941 novel Storm help to popularize the concept of giving names to tropical cyclones.^[54] Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... Ad hoc is a Latin phrase which means for this [purpose]. It generally signifies a solution that has been tailored to a specific purpose, such as a tailor-made suit, a handcrafted network protocol, and specific-purpose equation and things like that. ... George Rippey Stewart (May 31, 1895‑1980) was an American toponymist, a novelist, and a professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley (until 1962). ...

From 1950 to 1953, names from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet were used. The modern naming convention came about in response to the need for unambiguous radio communications with ships and aircraft. As transportation traffic increased and meteorological observations improved in number and quality, several typhoons, hurricanes or cyclones might have to be tracked at any given time. To help in their identification, beginning in 1953 the practice of systematically naming tropical storms and hurricanes was initiated by the United States National Hurricane Center. Naming is now maintained by the World Meteorological Organization. 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1953 calendar). ... The Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet was developed in 1941 and was used by all branches of the United States military until the promulgation of the NATO phonetic alphabet in 1956, which replaced it. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1953 calendar). ... The US National Hurricane Center is the division of National Weather Services Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes. ... The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 187 Member States and Territories. ...

In keeping with the common English language practice of referring to named inanimate objects such as boats, trains, etc., using the female pronoun "she," names used were exclusively feminine. The first storm of the year was assigned a name beginning with the letter "A", the second with the letter "B", etc. However, since tropical storms and hurricanes are primarily destructive, some considered this practice sexist. The World Meteorological Organization responded to these concerns in 1979 with the introduction of masculine names to the nomenclature. It was also in 1979 that the practice of preparing a list of names before the season began. The names are usually of English, French or Spanish origin in the Atlantic basin, since these are the three predominant languages of the region which the storms typically affect. In the southern hemisphere, male names were given to cyclones starting in 1975.^[53] The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The sign of the headquarters of the National Association Opposed To Woman Suffrage Sexism is commonly considered to be discrimination against people based on their sex rather than their individual merits, but can also refer to any and all differentiations based on sex. ... The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 187 Member States and Territories. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Notable cyclones

Main article: List of notable tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclones that cause massive destruction are fortunately rare, but when they happen, they can cause damage in the range of billions of dollars and disrupt or end thousands of lives. This is a list of notable tropical cyclones, subdivided by basin and reason for notability. ... This article is about general United States currency. ...

The deadliest tropical cyclone on record hit the densely populated Ganges Delta region of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) on November 13, 1970, likely as a Category 3 tropical cyclone. It killed an estimated 500,000 people. The North Indian basin has historically been the deadliest, with several storms since 1900 killing over 100,000 people, each in Bangladesh.^[55] Lowest pressure Unknown Damages Unknown Fatalities 500,000 direct (Deadliest tropical cyclone of all time) Areas affected Bangladesh Part of the 1970 North Indian cyclone season The Bhola cyclone was a powerful tropical cyclone that made landfall in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) on 13 November 1970. ... Ganges Delta The Ganges Delta is a river delta in the south Asia region of Bengal, consisting of Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal, India. ... East Pakistan was a former province of Pakistan which existed between 1955 and 1971. ... November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 48 days remaining. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Category 3 can refer to either: Category 3 cable used for carrying data Category 3 hurricanes on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. ...

In the Atlantic basin, at least three storms have killed more than 10,000 people. Hurricane Mitch during the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season caused severe flooding and mudslides in Honduras, killing about 18,000 people and changing the landscape enough that entirely new maps of the country were needed.^[56] The Galveston Hurricane of 1900, which made landfall at Galveston, Texas as an estimated Category 4 storm, killed 8,000 to 12,000 people, and remains the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States.^[57] The deadliest Atlantic storm on record was the Great Hurricane of 1780, which killed about 22,000 people in the Antilles.^[57] The Atlantic Basin includes the main body of the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, but ommits other bodies of water considered to be a part of the Atlantic Ocean in the broad sense, such as the Mediteranean Sea. ... Lowest pressure 905 mbar (hPa) Damages $5+ billion (1998 USD) $6–7 billion (2005 USD) Fatalities 11,000–18,000 direct (deadliest Atlantic hurricane since 1780 hurricane) Areas affected Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Yucatán Peninsula, south Florida Part of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Mitch was one... First storm formed: Jul. ... Lowest pressure ≤936 mbar (hPa) Damages $25-50 million (1900 USD) $928 million (2000 USD) [1] Fatalities 6,000–12,000 direct Areas affected Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, south Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas (particularly around Galveston), much of the Central United States, Great Lakes region, Atlantic Canada Part... Nickname: The Oleander City Official website: City of Galveston Location Location in the state of Texas Government County Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas Geographical characteristics Area Total 539. ... The Great Hurricane of 1780 is considered the deadliest Atlantic tropical cyclone of all time. ... The Antilles now generally refers to the islands of the Caribbean except the Bahamas. ...

The relative sizes of Typhoon Tip, Tropical Cyclone Tracy, and the United States.

The most intense storm on record was Typhoon Tip in the northwestern Pacific Ocean in 1979, which had a minimum pressure of only 870 mbar and maximum sustained wind speeds of 190 mph (305 km/h). It weakened before striking Japan. Tip does not hold the record for fastest sustained winds in a cyclone alone; Typhoon Keith in the Pacific, and Hurricane Camille and Hurricane Allen in the North Atlantic currently share this record as well,^[58] although recorded wind speeds that fast are suspect since most monitoring equipment is likely to be destroyed by such extreme conditions. Camille was the only storm to actually strike land while at that intensity, making it, with 190 mph (305 km/h) sustained winds and 210 mph (335 km/h) gusts, the strongest tropical cyclone on record at landfall. For comparison, these speeds are encountered at the center of a strong tornado, but Camille, like all tropical cyclones, was much larger and long-lived than any tornado. Illustrating the extremes in tropical cyclone sizes. ... Lowest pressure 870 hPa (mbar) (record) Damages Unknown Fatalities 68 direct Areas affected Japan Part of the 1979 Pacific typhoon season This article deals with the 1979 Typhoon Tip. ... Cyclone Tracy devastated the Northern Territory city of Darwin, as can be seen from this National Archives of Australia aerial view of the city. ... Lowest pressure 870 hPa (mbar) (record) Damages Unknown Fatalities 68 direct Areas affected Japan Part of the 1979 Pacific typhoon season This article deals with the 1979 Typhoon Tip. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... A millibar (mbar, also mb) is 1/1000th of a bar, a unit for measurement of pressure. ... The tenth of eleven TCs to attain super typhoon intensity in the western North Pacific during 1997, Keith formed at low latitudes in the Marshall Islands. ... Lowest pressure ≤905 mbar (hPa) (official)[1] ≤901 mbar (hPa) (unofficial)[1] Damages $1. ... Hurricane Allen was the strongest hurricane of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season. ... Union City, Oklahoma tornado (1973) A tornado is a violently rotating column of air which is in contact with both a cumulonimbus (or, in rare cases, cumulus) cloud base and the surface of the earth. ...

Typhoon Nancy in 1961 had recorded wind speeds of 215 mph (345 km/h), but recent research indicates that wind speeds from the 1940s to the 1960s were gauged too high, and this is no longer considered the fastest storm on record.^[59] Similarly, a surface-level gust caused by Typhoon Paka on Guam was recorded at 236 mph (380 km/h); had it been confirmed, this would be the strongest non-tornadic wind ever recorded at the Earth's surface, but the reading had to be discarded since the anemometer was damaged by the storm.^[60] Super Typhoon Nancy (18W) was a powerful tropical cyclone of the 1961 Pacific typhoon season. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... ... Union City, Oklahoma tornado (1973) A tornado is a violently rotating column of air which is in contact with both a cumulonimbus (or, in rare cases, cumulus) cloud base and the surface of the earth. ... Earth (often referred to as The Earth) is the third planet in the solar system in terms of distance from the Sun, and the fifth in order of size. ... Anemometer installation on roof of Deconism Gallery, using three size 6, schedule 40 pipes in their original uncut 20 foot (6 m) lengths. ...

Tip was also the largest cyclone on record, with a circulation of tropical storm-force winds 1,350 miles (2,170 km) wide. The average tropical cyclone is only 300 miles (480 km) wide. The smallest storm on record, 1974's Cyclone Tracy, which devastated Darwin, Australia, was roughly 60 miles (100 km) wide.^[61] 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... Lowest pressure 950 hPa (mbar)[2] Damages $4 billion (1998 AUD)[3] $2. ... Darwin is the territorial capital and most populous city of the Northern Territory. ...

Hurricane Iniki in 1992 was the most powerful storm to strike Hawaii in recorded history, hitting Kauai as a Category 4 hurricane, killing six and causing $3 billion in damage.^[62] Other destructive Pacific hurricanes include Pauline^[63] and Kenna.^[64] Hurricane Iniki (Hawaiian for Enid[3]) was the most powerful hurricane to strike the state of Hawaii and the Hawaiian Islands in recorded history. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,941 sq. ... Kauai (usually called Kauai outside the Hawaiian Islands) is the oldest and fourth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands, having an area of 1,446 km² . Known also as the Garden Isle, Kauai lies 105 miles (170 kilometers) across the Kauai Channel, northwest of Oahu. ... The name Pauline has been used for four tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. ... Hurricane Kenna was a destructive hurricane of the 2002 Pacific hurricane season. ...

The first recorded South Atlantic hurricane, Cyclone Catarina from 2004.

On March 26, 2004, Cyclone Catarina became the first recorded South Atlantic hurricane. Previous South Atlantic cyclones in 1991 and 2004 reached only tropical storm strength. Tropical cyclones may have formed there before 1960 but were not observed until weather satellites began monitoring the Earth's oceans in that year. Image File history File links Brazil_hurricane. ... Image File history File links Brazil_hurricane. ... Cyclone Catarina was an extremely rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cyclone Catarina was an extremely rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone. ... A South Atlantic tropical cyclone is an unusual weather event which occurs in the southern Atlantic Ocean, south of the equator. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... A weather satellite is a type of artificial satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather and climate of the Earth. ...

A tropical cyclone need not be particularly strong to cause memorable damage; Tropical Storm Thelma, in November 1991 killed thousands in the Philippines even though it never became a typhoon; the damage from Thelma was mostly due to flooding, not winds or storm surge.^[65] In 1982, the unnamed tropical depression that eventually became Hurricane Paul caused the deaths of around 1,000 people in Central America due to the effects of its rainfall.^[66] Tropical Storm Thelma (Pagasa name: Uring) was the deadliest tropical storm of the 1991 Pacific typhoon season, killing more than 6,000 people as it crossed the Philippines. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ... Hurricane Paul was the second deadliest Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone of all time, killing over 1000 people in Central America only as a tropical depression. ...

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi. The U.S. National Hurricane Center, in its August review of the tropical storm season stated that Katrina was probably the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.^[67] Currently, its death toll is at least 1,604, mainly from flooding and the aftermath in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is also estimated to have caused $75 billion in damages. Before Katrina, the costliest system in monetary terms had been 1992's Hurricane Andrew, which caused an estimated $39 billion (2005 USD) in damage in Florida.^[68] August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lowest pressure 902 mbar (hPa) Damages $75 billion (2005 USD) (costliest Atlantic hurricane in history) Fatalities ≥1,836 total Areas affected Bahamas, South Florida, Cuba, Louisiana (especially Greater New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Panhandle, most of eastern North America Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Katrina was the... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Area  Ranked 32nd  - Total 48,434 sq. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Lowest pressure 922 mbar (hPa) Damages $26 billion (1992 USD) $45 billion (2005 USD) Fatalities 65 (26 direct, 39 indirect) Areas affected Bahamas; South Florida, Louisiana, and other areas of the Southern United States Part of the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Andrew was one of the most destructive hurricanes... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,794 sq. ...

Other storm systems

Many other forms of cyclone can form in nature. Several of these relate to the formation or dissipation of tropical cyclones. Radar image of a tropical cyclone in the northern hemisphere. ...

Extratropical cyclone

Main article: Extratropical cyclone

An extratropical cyclone is a storm that derives energy from horizontal temperature differences, which are typical in higher latitudes. A tropical cyclone can become extratropical as it moves toward higher latitudes if its energy source changes from heat released by condensation to differences in temperature between air masses;^[69] Infrequently, an extratropical cyclone can transform into a subtropical storm, and from there into a tropical cyclone. From space, extratropical storms have a characteristic "comma-shaped" cloud pattern. Extratropical cyclones can also be dangerous because their low-pressure centers cause powerful winds. Extratropical cyclones lie somewhere in between tropical cyclones and mid-latitude cyclones, drawing a portion of their energy through the evaporation and condensation of ocean water, and some through horizontal temperature gradients in the atmosphere. ... A comma ( , ) is a punctuation mark. ...

Subtropical storm

Main article: Subtropical cyclone

A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical cyclone and some characteristics of an extratropical cyclone. They can form in a wide band of latitude, from the equator to 50°. Although subtropical storms rarely attain hurricane-force winds, they may become tropical in nature as their core warms.^[70] From an operational standpoint, a tropical cyclone is usually not considered to become subtropical during its extratropical transition.^[71] A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical cyclone and some characteristics of an extratropical cyclone. ... Weather is an all-encompassing term used to describe all of the many and varied phenomena that can occur in the atmosphere of a planet. ... Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter φ, gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the Equator. ... The equator is an imaginary circle drawn around a planet (or other astronomical object) at a distance halfway between the poles. ...

See also

Current Seasons

• 2006 Atlantic hurricane season
• 2006 Pacific hurricane season
• 2006 North Indian cyclone season
• 2005-06 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season

1Systems of at least tropical depression strength (>25 mph) The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season is an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. ... 1Systems of at least tropical depression strength (>25 mph) The 2006 Pacific hurricane season is an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. ... North Indian cyclone seasons 1995-1999 2000-2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 The 2006 North Indian cyclone season has no bounds, but cyclones tend to form between April and December, with peaks in May and November. ... The 2005-06 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season runs year-round, starting on July 1, 2005 and ending June 30, 2006, reaching its peak mid-February to early March. ...

Meteorology

Radar image of a tropical cyclone in the northern hemisphere. ... In meteorology, an anticyclone (i. ... Extratropical cyclones lie somewhere in between tropical cyclones and mid-latitude cyclones, drawing a portion of their energy through the evaporation and condensation of ocean water, and some through horizontal temperature gradients in the atmosphere. ... This article or section may be confusing for some readers, and should be edited to be clearer or more simplified. ... A mid-latitude cyclone or extratropical cyclone is a weather phenomenon associated with atmospheric low pressure that takes place in the temperate region between the tropical and polar regions. ... Polar cyclones (also known as Artic Cyclones) are vast areas of low pressure. ... Polar lows are similar in behavior and size to tropical cyclones, although generally much shorter lived. ... A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical cyclone and some characteristics of an extratropical cyclone. ...

Forecasting and preparation

• Catastrophe modeling
• Hurricane proof building
• Hurricane preparedness

Catastrophe modeling (also known as cat modeling) is the process of using computer-assisted calculations to estimate the losses that could be sustained by a portfolio of properties due to a catastrophic event such as a hurricane or earthquake. ... Tornadoes, cyclones, and other strong winds damage or destroy many buildings. ... Supplies and food Gas powered chain saw Gasoline Water-1 gallon of clean drinking water per person, enough for 2 weeks. ...

Categories

Tropical cyclones Portal

• Category:Lists of tropical cyclones
• Category:Tropical cyclones by basin
• Category:Tropical cyclones by season
• Category:Tropical cyclones by strength
• Category:Tropical cyclones by region

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x662, 320 KB) http://eol. ...

Notes

UCAR is a nonprofit corporation formed in 1959 by research institutions with doctoral programs in the atmospheric and related sciences. ... The Bureau of Meteorology is an Australian government organisation responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. ... New FEMA seal The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) within the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in Leap years). ... The U.S. National Hurricane Center is the division of National Weather Services Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes. ... The National Weather Service (NWS) is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States government. ... The American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. ...

External links

Look up Tropical cyclone in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Tropical cyclone

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary is a Wikimedia Foundation project intended to be a free wiki dictionary (hence: Wiktionary) (including thesaurus and lexicon) in every language. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

Learning resources

• WMO guide on cyclone terminology
• Summary of cyclone terminology from NOAA FAQ
• Create-a-Cane Interactive fun site from NOAA, allows to specify conditions and see how they impact storm formation
• NASA Hurricane Web Page - Data, research, science & multimedia resources from NASA
• NOVA scienceNOW: Hurricanes
• Mariner's Guide for Hurricane Awareness (pdf)
• The Hurricane Hut - Information on tropical cyclones, as well as information on hurricane naming, and all Atlantic storms 1950-2005
• The Hurricane Newspaper Archive
• Hurricanes: A Primer on Formation, Structure, Intensity Change and Frequency, by Dr. Robert Hart

Tracking and warning

• World Meteorological Organization Severe Weather Information Center - Shows all current tropical systems worldwide and their tracks
• Joint Typhoon warning Center - Western Pacific
• MetService, New Zealand - Tasman Sea, South Pacific south of 25&deg S
• Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Southern hemisphere from 90° E to 160° E
• Canadian Hurricane Centre - Northwest Atlantic (overlaps US NHC)

Regional specialised meteorological centers

• US National Hurricane Center - North Atlantic, Eastern Pacific
• Central Pacific Hurricane Center - Central Pacific
• Japan Meteorological Agency - NW Pacific
• India Meteorological Department - Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea
• Météo-France - La Reunion - South Indian Ocean from Africa to 90° E
• Fiji Meteorological Service - South Pacific east of 160°, north of 25° S

A map showing the location of the Bay of Bengal. ... Map of the Arabian Sea. ...

Past storms

• Yearly World Tropical Storm Summary - About 10 years of origins and tracks, in color, up to present. Broken up by year and region; for example "Atlantic, 2005"
• The Hurricane Hut - Information on all past storms to 1950, along with images and individual storm summaries.
• Unisys historical and contemporary hurricane track data e.g. Atlantic 1968
• United States Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Climatology - Over 20 years of tropical cyclone histories with an emphasis on storm total rainfall, in color, up to present. Broken up by year, region, and by point of landfall
• Hurricanes of the 1970s, including survivor stories and 1980s
• Worldwide tropical cyclone tracks, 1979-1988
• the EM-DAT International Disaster Database
• Top 10 Deadliest Hurricanes
• Hurricane Digital Memory Bank Preserving the Stories and Digital Record of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma

Miscellaneous

• WebCamPlaza Big collection of hurricane webcams.
• www.worldhurricanes.com- Lates news from the WN network.
• Tropical Cyclones - Chapter from the online edition of Nathaniel Bowditch's American Practical Navigator
• Hurricane Alley - tracking
• Live Hurricane Talk and Information Archive
• NOAA's Tropical Cyclone FAQ
• Hurricanes & climate change
• Global climatology of tropical cyclones
• Caribbean Hurricane Network
• 1995 Mediterranean "Hurricane"
• Atlantic hurricanes track animations
• Tropical cyclone pictures and movies, from the United Kingdom Met Office
• Global Warming & Hurricanes - Review based on latest articles in Science and Nature. Graph of trends in 6 hurricane basins.
• Hurricane Havens Handbook for the North Atlantic Ocean
• Typhoon Havens Handbook for the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans
• Tropical Storm Risk
• Statistical models of hurricane activity
• Hurricanes, global warming, and global politics
• Steve Gregory's Blog at Weather Underground
• Dr. Jeff Masters Blog at Weather Underground
• Hurricane Dictionary Hurricane and Tropical Storms
• Natural Disasters - Hurricanes Great research site for kids.
• Hurricane Digital Memory Bank Preserving the Stories and Digital Record of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma

Memorial statue for Nathaniel Bowditch, in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts. ...