Tropical storms

• Where do tropical storms develop between

  5 and 30 degrees north and south of the equator when sea temperature is 27 Celsius or higher and wind shear between higher and lower parts of the atmosphere are low
• What happens after the warm surface water evaporates, rises and condenses into clouds


  Releases huge amounts of energy, producing powerful storms. The rising air creates an area of low pressure which increases surface winds. The low wind shear prevents clouds breaking up as they rise so the storm stays intact
• What happens after the rising air creates an area of low pressure

  Easterly winds near the equator move tropical storms towards the west
• Why does the storm spin

  Coriolis effect
• Why does the wind speed of the storm increase

  As the storm moves over the ocean the energy from the warm water strengthens the storm. Storms lose strength when they move over land or cooler water because the energy supply for the warm water is cut off.
• Shape of tropical storms

  Circular - hundrends of km wide - last 7-14 days
• What way do the storms spin in each hemisphere

  Anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere

  Clockwise in the southern hemisphere
• What is center of storm called

  Eye - very low pressure - light winds - no clouds - no rain - high temperature
• What is the eye surrounded by

  eyewall - spiraling rising air, very strong winds, low temperature
• Where does the wind speed fall in a tropical storm

  towards the edge of the storm - wind speed falls - clouds became smaller and more scattered - rain becomes less intense and the temperature increases