Tropical Storms Flashcards
1
Q
Factors needed for Tropical Storms to form?
A
- Summer months: warmest time of the year to allow water to reach 27℃
- 5° to 15° N and S of the equator receive most concentrated solar radiation.
- Water needs to be greater than 60m deep to fuel the storm.
2
Q
5 steps
Tropical storm formation step by step
A
- A strong upward movement of air draws water vapour up from the warm ocean surface.
- Evaporated air condenses creating huge thunderstorm clouds. Condensing air draws up more water from the ocean.
- Storm eye forms in the centre where it is calmer, wind speed reaches 120 kmph+ and heavy rain occurs.
- Cooling air sinks periodically dividing the rising moist air into banks of thick storm clouds.
- Air is sucked in from the sides to replace the rapid upward movement of moist air
3
Q
What causes tropical storm to spin?
A
The coriolis force causes air moving across the latitudes to be deflected, the deflection causing cloud mass to spin around.
