Tropical Cyclones Portal
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and 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. 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, and 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 can 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 map of global tropical cyclone tracks from 1985 to 2005 includes hundreds of systems that affected over a dozen countries. This picture was made using NASA imagery and data from various meteorological agencies.
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Did you know…
- …that Cyclone Katrina–Victor–Cindy (track pictured) was the only tropical cyclone to receive three official names?
- …that since 2011 the Brazilian Navy Hydrographic Center has assigned names to tropical and subtropical systems in the South Atlantic, when they have sustained wind speeds of at least 65 km/h (40 mph)?
- …that, although being the second most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the South-West Indian Ocean basin in terms of atmospheric pressure, Cyclone Chris-Damia (pictured) never attained the highest categories in both Météo-France and Saffir–Simpson wind scales?
- …that there was never a year with tropical cyclones strengthening into a Category 5 hurricane in the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale in both Atlantic and Pacific east of the International Date Line basins?
Tropical cyclone anniversaries
- September 20, 1967 - Hurricane Beulah (pictured) made landfall in Texas just north of the Rio Grande. Beulah caused severe flooding in the state with the resulting damage exceeding $1 billion.
- September 21, 1938 - The New England Hurricane of 1938 (track pictured) hit Long Island, New York as a Category 3 hurricane with a central pressure of 946 hPa (mbar). The hurricane killed between 500 and 700 people in New England.
- September 22, 1989 - Hurricane Hugo (pictured) made landfall in South Carolina with 220 km/h (140 mph) winds. Hugo caused over $10 billion of damage and killed 76 people.
- September 23, 1998 - Hurricane Georges (pictured) passed over the Windward Passage and made landfall in Cuba just east of Guantánamo Bay. Georges killed over 600 people throughout the Caribbean, mostly on the island of Hispaniola.
- September 24, 2005 - Hurricane Rita (pictured) made landfall in Sabine Pass, Port Arthur, Texas with winds of 185 km/h (115 mph). Rita prompted massive evacuations and caused over $10 billion in damage.
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