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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The 1970 Bhola cyclone was a devastating tropical cyclone that struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) on November 12, 1970. It was the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded, and one of the deadliest natural disasters of modern times. At least 500,000 people lost their lives in the storm, mostly as a result of the storm surge that flooded many of the low-lying islands of the Ganges Delta. This cyclone was the sixth cyclonic storm of the 1970 North Indian Ocean cyclone season and was also the most powerful, reaching a strength equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane.
The cyclone formed over the central Bay of Bengal on November 8 and moved north, intensifying as it did so. It reached its peak with winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) on November 12 and made landfall on the East Pakistan coast that night. The storm surge devastated many of the offshore islands, wiping out villages and destroying crops throughout the region. In the most severely affected Thana, Tazumuddin, over 45% of the population of 167,000 was killed by the storm.
The Pakistani government was severely criticised for its handling of the relief operations following the storm, both by local political leaders in East Pakistan and in the international media. The opposition Awami League gained a landslide victory in the province and continuing unrest between East Pakistan and the central government trigged the Bangladesh Liberation War, which concluded with the creation of the state of Bangladesh.
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View of the eyewall of Hurricane Katrina taken on Aug. 28, 2005, as seen from an NOAA WP-3D Orion hurricane hunter aircraft before the storm made landfall on the United States Gulf Coast.
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.
- East and Central 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: 11:56, 21 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 20,
- 2009 - Tropical Storm Linfa reaches peak intensity as a severe tropical storm. Linfa caused damages of about $105 million, mostly from eastern China and Taiwan.
- 2013 - Tropical Storm Barry (pictured) makes landfall over in Veracruz, Mexico, killing only five people in total.
June 21,
- 1989 - Hurricane Cosme makes landfall over in southern Mexico as a category 1 hurricane killing a total of 30 people.
- 2008 - Typhoon Fengshen (pictured) reached its peak intensity of 200 km/h (125 mph). Fengshen killed more than 1,300 people mostly from the capsizing of the MV Princess of the Stars.
June 22,
- 1972 - Hurricane Agnes made landfall near New York City. Agnes killed 129 people and caused over $2 billion of damage throughout the eastern United States, with the worst of the damage in the states of Pennsylvania and New York.
- 2015 - Tropical Storm Kujira (pictured) reaches tropical storm intensity before making landfall in southern China. Kujira killed nine people and damaged ¥88 million (US$14.4 million).
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