Lesson 16- Where and how do tropical storms form?

Question 1

What are tropical storms?

Answer 1

• An intense low pressure weather system, that can last for days to weeks within Tropical regions of the planet

Question 2

How do we measure tropical storms?

Answer 2

• Saffir-Simpsons scale

Question 3

Conditions required for tropical storms?

Answer 3

• 27 degrees at a 50m depth
• Low air pressure-usually where we have winds that meet (convergence) as warm air rises and clouds can form
• Ocurr in the late summer to autumn
• Thunderstorm clusters with coriolis effect
• Light wind sheer

Question 4

What is the coriolis effect?

Answer 4

• Apparent movement to the right in the northern hemisphere and the left in the southern hemisphere
  -air flows from a region moving slower to one moving faster
  -earths surface rotates faster and the equator than the poles

Question 5

First half formation of tropical storms?

Answer 5

• Warm, moist air rises leaving an area of low pressure below causing surrounding warm air to go into the low pressure zone
• When the warm air rises it cools condensing into culionumbus clouds.
• More and more surrounding warm air accelerated the storm until it reaches 39mph where its classed as a tropical storm
• The whole system spinning is due top the coroilis force as in the southern hemishere the storms spin clockwise and vice versa

Question 6

Second half formation of tropical storms?

Answer 6

• The eye of the storm spans around 30km is is very calm and cool and can be 15% lower pressure than surroundings outside the storm.
• Eyewall is very intense with rapidly rising warm air with high winds and torrential rain. When winds reach a speed of 74mph its a hurricane, cyclone, typhoon.
• Reach the coast then release energy as a storm surge
• The land means it no longer has energy and eye eventually collapses. Heavy rain persis for days