Nature and formation of tropical storms

What does TRS stand for?

Tropical Revolving Storms (the types differ by region)

How are tropical storms characterised?

By a giant swirling cloud up to 700km in diameter.

What is beneficial about tropical storms?

They can be tracked and predicted.

What type of event is this?

A natural weather event - expected at certain times of the year in certain latitudes.

What do tropical storms redistribute?

Redistribute heat across the world - transfer warm conditions from tropics to poles.

What names do tropical storms have?

Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons depending on region.

Where are they called hurricanes?

In the Caribbean (Aug - Oct) and East Pacific (Jun - Oct)

Where are they called cyclones?

South Asia (Oct - Nov) and Madagascar (Dec - Mar)

Where are they called typhoons?

East Asia from May to December.

Where are they called Willy-willies?

In West Australia (Jan - Mar)

What is the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)?

A continuous band of low pressure that circles the Earth around the equator.

What is the Coriolis effect?

The apparent curving or deflection of global winds, ocean currents and tropical storms caused by the Earth’s rotation on its axis.

What does the Coriolis effect do?

Doesn’t create tropical storms but creates the spin necessary for their formation by deflecting air towards a low-pressure centre.

What does deflection of air towards low pressure mean?

Means winds in the Northern Hemisphere spin counterclockwise while in the Southern Hemisphere spin clockwise.

Why is the rotation so crucial?

At the equator, the effect is zero and Tropical storms can’t develop

Where do tropical storms occur?

Between 5’ and 20’ North and South of the equator.

Once generated they tend to move west.

What is crucial to remember about the ITCZ?

It moves - it’s not stationary.