tropical storms

• Tropical storms


  Low pressure weather systems with intense rainfall and winds
• Low pressure just means when warm air rises
• Hurricane, typhoon, and cyclone


  All the exact same thing, just named differently dependent on the location they were formed
• Conditions needed for a tropical storm to form

  • It must be between 5 and 30 degrees north and south of the equator
  • The sea temperatures must be at a minimum of 27 degrees celsius
  • The wind shear which is the difference in wind speed must be low
• How tropical storms develop

  1. Warm surface water evaporates, rises and condenses into clouds, releasing energy to fuel the storm

  2. Rising air creates low pressure, increasing surface winds due to the Coriolis force

  3. As the storm moves over the ocean, the energy from the warm water supply strengthens the storm

  4. The storm would only lose strength when they move over land or cool water due to the energy supply being cut off
• Features and structures of a tropical storm

  • The center of the storm is called the eye, with very low pressure, light winds, no clouds, no rain, and high temperature
  • The eye is surrounded by the eye wall, with spiraling rising air, very strong winds, storm clouds, and torrential rain
  • Towards the outer skirts of the storm, the wind speeds fall, the clouds become smaller and more scattered, and the rain becomes less intensive as the temperature increases
• How climate change may affect tropical storms

  • Oceans will stay at 27 degrees celsius or higher for longer each year, so there is a longer period for storms to form
  • More of the world's oceans could be above 27 degrees celsius, meaning tropical storms may form in areas that haven't experienced or prepared for them before
  • Higher sea surfaces temperatures are likely to result in more evaporation, increased cloud formation, and more energy released, making storms more powerful
• Ways to reduce the effect of tropical storms

  • Prediction and monitoring
  • Planning
  • Protection
• Prediction and monitoring


  Storms can be monitored using radar and satellites, and predicted where and when they will happen
• Planning


  Future developments can be avoided in low-lying coastal areas, and governments can plan evacuation plans and routes, and invite emergency services to prepare for disasters
• Protection


  Buildings designed to withstand storms can be put on stilts, and flood defences can be built along rivers