Portal:Tropical cyclones
Tropical cyclones portal
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center, a closed low-level circulation and a spiral arrangement of numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rainfall. Tropical cyclones feed on the heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor contained in the moist air. They are fuelled by a different heat mechanism than other cyclonic windstorms such as nor'easters, European windstorms and polar lows, leading to their classification as "warm core" storm systems. Most tropical cyclones originate in the doldrums near the Equator, approximately 10 degrees away.
The term "tropical" refers to both the geographic origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively in tropical regions of the globe, as well as to their formation in maritime tropical air masses. The term "cyclone" refers to such storms' cyclonic nature, with anticlockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere. Depending on its location and intensity, a tropical cyclone may be referred to by names such as "hurricane", "typhoon", "tropical storm", "cyclonic storm", "tropical depression" or simply "cyclone".
- Pictured: Typhoon Tip
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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 also carry heat away from the tropics, an important mechanism of the global atmospheric circulation that maintains equilibrium in the environment.
Recently featured: Cyclone Percy – 2005 Atlantic hurricane season – Hurricane Katrina – List of storms in the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season – Browse
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Hurricane Emily (2005) near peak intensity on July 16, 2005. This image was captured by MODIS on the Terra satellite.
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WikiProject Tropical cyclones is the central point of coordination for Wikipedia's coverage of tropical cyclones. Feel free to help!
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Currently active tropical cyclones
Italicized basins are unofficial.
- North Atlantic (2019)
- No active systems
- East and Central Pacific (2019)
- No active systems
- West Pacific (2019)
- No active systems
- North Indian Ocean (2019)
- No active systems
- Mediterranean (2018–19)
- No active systems
- South-West Indian Ocean (2018–19)
- No active systems
- Australian region (2018–19)
- No active systems
- South Pacific (2018–19)
- No active systems
- South Atlantic (2018–19)
- No active systems
Last updated 10:07, 16 April 2019 (UTC)
Did you know…
- …that 2018 was the first year ever recorded to feature Category 5 hurricanes on both Atlantic and Pacific oceans?
- …that the 2018 Pacific hurricane season was the first season ever recorded to feature Category 5 hurricanes on both eastern and central Pacific areas of responsibility?
- …that according to an unofficial reanalyisis using the Dvorak technique, Cyclone Hina (pictured) had a peak intensity of 170 kt (195 mph, 315 km/h)?
- …that Cyclone Onil (pictured) was the first tropical cyclone named by the India Meteorological Department?
Tropical cyclone anniversaries
April 19,
- 1945 - Tropical Storm Ann, the first named tropical system in the Northwest Pacific, develops over in Micronesia.
- 1959 - Typhoon Tilda attains peak intensity with 1-minute sustained winds of 230 km/h (145 mph) as it was west of Guam.
- 2000 - Cyclone Rosita (pictured) reached its peak intensity with a central pressure of 930 hPa (mbar) to the north of Broome, Western Australia.
April 20,
- 1997 - Typhoon Isa (pictured) reached its peak intensity with winds of 270 km/h (165 mph) to the west of the Mariana Islands. Isa passed south of Guam, where it caused beneficial rainfall.
- 2017 - Tropical Storm Arlene intensifies from a subtropical depression, making it one of only two systems in the Atlantic to form in the month of April.
April 21,
- 1992 - A subtropical depression developed to the southeast of Bermuda. This system was never classified as a tropical system.
- 2003 - Tropical Storm Ana (pictured) became a full-fledged tropical cyclone, the first ever recorded in the North Atlantic Ocean during the month of April.
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