climate effect frequency, intensity and distribution of TS

• Frequency

  • from 1880-1994 - slight decrease
  • long term storms are more frequent then short term storms
  • 1880 - 41
  • 1994 - 32
  • 1905 - 45
  • however - 1885-1889 - increased to around 65
  • however number of short term storms is increasing
• intensity

  • from 1970-2010 -steady increase in storm energy across the North Atlantic
  • 1970 - average storm energy was around $45\times10^4knots^2$
  • how ever in 1985 the energy fell to around $20\times10^4knots^2$
• distribution

  • the majority of tropical storms are found between 5 and 15 degrees either side of the equator
  • most intense = pacific
  • however, to the east of Russia, category 1/2 storms are starting to appear