Geography: Tropical Storms

• Tropical storms can be formed when warm ocean water is heated above 26 degrees Celsius.
• Tropical storms can be formed when warm water is heated above 26 degrees Celsius.
• Hurricanes are named by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) using a rotating alphabetical list.
• Hurricanes are named by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) using a rotating alphabetical list, with names starting with A and ending with W.
• Tropical storms require a pre-existing weather disturbance, high humidity, converging winds, and low wind shear to form.
• The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, with the peak being September.
• The Coriolis effect, caused by the Earth's rotation, is essential for the formation of tropical storms as it helps in the rotation of the storm.
• The Coriolis effect, caused by the Earth's rotation, is essential for the formation of tropical storms as it helps in the rotation of the storm.
• Tropical storms typically form over warm ocean waters near the equator where the sea surface temperature is at least 26.5 degrees Celsius.
• A tropical depression becomes a tropical storm if it has sustained wind speeds between 39-74 mph (18-33 knots).
• The Coriolis effect causes the winds to rotate around an area of low pressure, forming a tropical depression.
• A tropical depression has winds between 17-38 mph.
• Warm air rises from the surface into the atmosphere, causing more cooler air to replace it.
• This creates a closed loop system where warm moist air rises, condenses, releases heat energy, then falls as rain or snow.
• The Coriolis effect causes the wind to turn clockwise in the northern hemisphere, creating an area of low pressure at the centre of the storm.
• A tropical storm has winds between 39-74 mph.
• A tropical depression requires sustained surface winds between 17 mph and 32 mph.
• A tropical storm has sustained winds between 39 mph and 74 mph, while a Category 1 hurricane has sustained winds between 75 mph and 95 mph.
• Warm ocean temperatures are necessary for the development of tropical storms, but not all warm oceans lead to tropical storms.
• A tropical depression requires an area of disturbed weather over warm waters, but does not have enough energy to become a tropical storm.
• When the maximum sustained winds exceed 74 mph, the storm is considered a Category 1 hurricane.
• There are six categories of hurricane strength, with Category 5 being the most severe.
• Wind speed is measured using anemometers on buoys, ships, aircraft, satellites, and radars.
• Warm water evaporates into the atmosphere, releasing heat energy that fuels the development of thunderstorm clouds.
• If the maximum sustained winds reach 39 miles per hour (mph), the system is classified as a tropical storm.