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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Typhoon Tip was the largest and most intense tropical cyclone on record. The nineteenth tropical storm, twelfth typhoon, and third super typhoon of the 1979 Pacific typhoon season, Tip developed out of a disturbance in the monsoon trough on October 4, near Pohnpei. Initially, a tropical storm to its northwest hindered the development and motion of Tip, though after it tracked further north Tip was able to intensify. After passing Guam, it rapidly intensified and reached peak winds of 305 km/h (190 mph) and a worldwide record low pressure of 870 mbar (hPa) on October 12. At its peak strength, it was also the largest tropical cyclone on record with a diameter of 2220 km (1380 mi). It slowly weakened as it continued west-northwestward, and later turned to the northeast under the influence of an approaching trough. Tip made landfall on southern Japan on October 19, and became an extratropical cyclone shortly thereafter.
Air Force Reconnaissance flew into the typhoon for 60 missions, making Tip one of the most closely observed tropical cyclones of all time. Rainfall from the typhoon breached a flood-retaining wall at a United States Marine Corps training camp in the Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan, leading to a fire which injured 68 and killed 13 marines. Elsewhere in the country, it led to widespread flooding and 42 deaths. 44 were killed or left unaccounted for due to shipwrecks offshore.
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Hurricane Emily (2005) near peak intensity on July 16, 2005. This image was captured by MODIS on the Terra satellite.
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.
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Currently active tropical cyclones
Italicized basins are unofficial.
- 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: 20:48, 18 June 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
June 17,
- 1971 - Hurricane Bridget passed just to the south of Acapulco, Mexico bringing gusts of 100 mph (155 km/h) to the city. Many ships, including some naval ships, were sunk killing 40 people and causing $40 million of damage.
- 2012 - Typhoon Guchol (pictured) attains Category 4 super typhoon intensity with a minimum pressure of 930 hPa with 1-minute sustained winds of 240 km/h (150 mph).
June 18,
- 1965 - Typhoon Dinah made landfall in Taiwan with winds of 220 km/h (140 mph). Dinah killed a total of 45 people and destroyed 5,000 homes.
- 1982 - The 1982 Florida subtropical storm (track pictured) affects Florida. Damages were recorded at $10 million.
- 2003 - Tropical Storm Blanca reaches maximum intensity with winds of 95 km/h (60 mph) and a minimum pressure of 997 hPa.
June 19,
- 1959 - Hurricane Three, which caused the 1959 Escuminac disaster, looped in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, sinking 22 of 54 fishing boats from Escuminac, New Brunswick. The storm killed a total of 35 people.
- 1993 - Tropical Storm Arlene (pictured) reaches tropical storm intensity prior to making landfall on Padre Island, Texas. Arlene killed a total of 29 people and caused about $55 million of damage, with most of the deaths occurring while it was a tropical wave.
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