Formation- Tropical Depression, Tropical Storm, and Hurricane
- surface winds strengthen, flow more efficiently around and into the core of the system
- tropical depression: tropical cyclone with wind speeds <39 mph
- Coriolis effect spins the storm counterclockwise
- surface winds converge with the central core and warm, moist air is pushed rapidly upwards (like a chimney)
- warm air reaches the dew point which leads to water vapor condensing which leads to latent heat being released
- surrounding air heated, strong updrafts created, rate of upward flow of warm air increased
- converging winds continue to spiral the core
- rotating rising and falling air masses generated by the heat (fuel) they acquire from the ocean
- often called “heat engines”
- tropical storm: tropical cyclone with wind speeds of 39-74 mph
- once surface wind speeds are very high (>74 mph), the wind can’t reach the center of the storm anymore
- eye of the storm develops
- hurricane has formed
Characteristics
- can be 620 miles wide, 9.3 miles high
- eyes as wide as 8-10 miles
- characterized by:
- high (>74 mph), sustained winds
- heavy rainfall
- storm surges up to 20 ft higher than sea level
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