Portal:Tropical cyclones
Tropical cyclones Portal
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones feed on heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor contained in the moist air. They are fueled by a different heat mechanism than other cyclonic windstorms such as nor'easters, European windstorms, and polar lows, leading to their classification as "warm core" storm systems. Tropical cyclones originate in the doldrums near the equator, about 10° away from it.
The term "tropical" refers to both the geographic origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively in tropical regions of the globe, and their formation in maritime tropical air masses. The term "cyclone" refers to such storms' cyclonic nature, with counterclockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere. Depending on its location and strength, a tropical cyclone is referred to by names such as hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression, and simply cyclone.
- Pictured: Cyclone Gafilo
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The Great Hurricane of 1780, also known as the Hurricane San Calixto II, is the deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record. Over 22,000 people people died when the storm passed through the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean between October 10 and October 16. The beginning of the official Atlantic hurricane database is in 1851; thus, specifics on its track and strength are unknown.
The hurricane struck Barbados with winds possibly exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h), before moving past Martinique, Saint Lucia, and Sint Eustatius; thousands of deaths were reported on each island. Coming in the midst of the American Revolution, the storm caused heavy losses to British and French fleets contesting for control of the area. The hurricane later passed near Puerto Rico and over the eastern portion of the Dominican Republic, causing heavy damage near the coastlines and ultimately turned to the northeast before being last observed on October 20 southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.
The death toll from the Great Hurricane alone exceeds that for any other entire decade of Atlantic hurricanes, and is substantially higher than that of the second-deadliest Atlantic storm, Hurricane Mitch. The hurricane was part of the disastrous 1780 Atlantic hurricane season, with three other deadly storms occurring in the month of October.
Recently featured: 1970 Bhola cyclone — Hurricane Fico — Hurricane Bob (1985) — Typhoon Ewiniar (2006) — 1998 Pacific typhoon season — List of named tropical cyclones — Hurricane Vince (2005) — Browse
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Hurricane Elida as a Category 5 hurricane on July 25 2002. The hurricane is located in the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico.
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Did you know...
- ... that 1994's Hurricane John is both the longest-lived and farthest-traveled tropical cyclone ever recorded?
- ... that only six eastern north Pacific tropical cyclones crossed both 140th meridian and the International Dateline?
- ... that, according to a study published in 2008, there were 92 subtropical cyclones in the Southern Atlantic between 1957 and 2008?
- ... that both cyclones Gwenda and Inigo are the strongest Australian region tropical cyclone ever observed?
Tropical cyclone anniversaries
- February 2, 1952 - The 1952 Groundhog Day Tropical Storm (track pictured) formed in the western Caribbean Sea near Honduras, becoming the only Atlantic tropical cyclone on record to form in February. The storm caused minor damage in Florida.
- February 1, 1986 - Cyclone Winifred hit Innisfail, Queensland causing extensive damage and killing three people.
- January 31, 1994 - Cyclone Geralda reached its peak with 270 km/h (165 mph) winds. Geralda struck Madagascar soon after, killing 200 and left half a million people homeless.
- January 30, 1992 - Hurricane Ekeka (pictured) reached hurricane strength to the south of Hawaii, at a latitude of 6.0° N.This makes Ekeka the most southerly hurricane on record, in either the Atlantic or Pacific.
- January 29, 1989 - Cyclone Firinga (track pictured) passed very close to Réunion at its peak with 165 km/h (105 mph) winds.
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