Portal:Tropical cyclones
Tropical cyclones portal
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center, a closed low-level circulation and a spiral arrangement of numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rainfall. Tropical cyclones feed on the heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor contained in the moist air. They are fuelled 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. Most tropical cyclones originate in the doldrums near the Equator, approximately 10 degrees away.
The term "tropical" refers to both the geographic origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively in tropical regions of the globe, as well as to their formation in maritime tropical air masses. The term "cyclone" refers to such storms' cyclonic nature, with anticlockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere. Depending on its location and intensity, a tropical cyclone may be referred to by names such as "hurricane", "typhoon", "tropical storm", "cyclonic storm", "tropical depression" or simply "cyclone".
- Pictured: Typhoon Tip
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Remnants of Hurricane Agnes over the Northeastern United States. Agnes dropped torrential and record-breaking rainfall, causing over $2 billion in damage (1972 USD) and more than 100 deaths. The name was later retired.
Related WikiProjects
WikiProject Tropical cyclones is the central point of coordination for Wikipedia's coverage of tropical cyclones. Feel free to help!
WikiProject Meteorology is the main center point of coordination for Wikipedia's coverage of meteorology in general.
WikiProject Non-tropical storms is a similar WikiProject which coordinates most of Wikipedia's coverage on notable extratropical cyclones, and the two projects share numerous overlaps.
Subcategories
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Currently active tropical cyclones
Italicized basins are unofficial.
- North Atlantic (2021)
- No active systems
- East and Central Pacific (2021)
- No active systems
- West Pacific (2021)
- No active systems
- North Indian Ocean (2021)
- No active systems
- Mediterranean (2020–21)
- No active systems
- South-West Indian Ocean (2020–21)
- No active systems
- Australian region (2020–21)
- No active systems
- South Pacific (2020–21)
- No active systems
- South Atlantic (2020–21)
- No active systems
Last updated: 00:36, 12 April 2021 (UTC)
Did you know…
- …that Cyclone Amphan (pictured) in 2020 was the first storm to be classified as a Super Cyclonic Storm in the Bay of Bengal since 1999?
- …that Hurricane Beryl (pictured) in 2018 caused a spike in calls to a mental health hotline, due to the effects of Hurricane Maria on the island a year prior?
- …that the 1858 San Diego hurricane is the only known tropical system that impacted California with hurricane-force winds?
- …that Hurricane Zeta (pictured) in 2020 dropped several inches of snowfall in Boston, Massachusetts and was one of the few Atlantic tropical cyclones that brought accumulating snow?
Tropical cyclone anniversaries
April 11,
- 2003 - Subtropical Storm Luma reaches peak strength as a subtropical storm with winds of 130 km/h (80 mph) in the extremely southern portion of the Indian Ocean basin.
- 2004 - Typhoon Sudal (pictured) reaches peak strength as a Category 4 super typhoon as it destroyed 90% of crops in Micronesia.
- 2014 - Cyclone Ita reaches peak strength of 10-minute sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph), killing a total of 40 people and damages up to US$1.15 billion.
April 12,
- 1983 - Cyclone Veena (pictured) reaches peak strength as a Category 3 cyclone over in the extreme Southeastern Pacific of the basin with a minimum pressure of 925 hPa.
- 2002 - Cyclone Bonnie reached its peak intensity with 85 km/h (50 mph) winds after passing over Timor island.
April 13
- 1991 - The Angola Tropical Storm of 1991 (pictured) reached its peak intensity off the Angolan coast, becoming the first tropical cyclone ever recorded in the South Atlantic basin.
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