How tropical cyclones form
1. Warm air from thunderstorms and deep, warm ocean surface (greater than 26 degrees) mix together and start to rise to create low pressure
2. Trade winds at the equator cause the storm to spin due to the earth's rotation (Coriolis effect)
3. Storms north of equator spin counter-clockwise, south of equator spin clockwise
4. Air continues to rise and pressure starts to decrease at higher altitudes
5. Air rises faster and draws in more warm air from sea surface whilst sucking cooler air downwards
6. As storm moves over ocean, it picks up more warm moist air
7. Speed of winds increase as more air is sucked in
8. It can take hours or days to fully form a tropical cyclone
9. The eye has calm winds surrounded by a spinning vortex of high winds and heavy rain
