tropical storms (whatyouneed2know)

Question 1

what is a tropical storm?

Answer 1

a very large storm with very low pressure and strong winds found in tropical areas

Question 2

what are the three names for a tropical storm and where are the respective names located?

Answer 2

hurricane - Central america, right of Africa, Atlantic and Eastern Pacific

typhoon - western pacific ocean (Japan)

cyclone - Bay of Bengal and Indian ocean (Bangladesh and India)

Question 3

what is the location of tropical storms?

Answer 3

they form EITHER SIDE of the EQUATOR at LOW LATITUDES

this is IN BETWEEN the TROPICS

the ROTATION OF THE EARTH and its WINDS cause the storm to MOVE OUTWARDS to HIGHER LATITUDES

Question 4

what are characteristics of a tropical storm? (7)

Answer 4

• can be up to 600 miles across
• has strong, spiralling, upwards winds at speeds of 75 - 200 mph
• usually lasts for over a week
• moves 10-20 miles per hour across the ocean
• they gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters
• rotate in an anti-clockwise direction around an “eye” - the calmest part (light wind & mild)
• on land there is heavy rain, strong winds, large waves damaging buildings,, trees, cars

Question 5

how do tropical storms form?

Answer 5

1 - the sun heats the sea
2 - warm, tropical sea heats the air and rises quickly
3 - wind causes it to start spinning
4 - air cools and flows outwards to allow the air below to rise
5 - humid air forms the clouds of the storm
6 - winds outside the storm keep it rotating and cause it to travel

Question 6

what is required for a tropical storm to form?

Answer 6

• still, warm ocean with a temperature of 26.5 or more
• strong winds high in the troposphere, 10 - 12 km above the Earth’s surface, are needed to rapidly draw the warm air up
• a strong force causes by the Earth’s rotation - Coriolis force (between 5 - 30 degrees N & S)

Question 7

how are tropical storms measured?

Answer 7

USA - saffir-simpson scale (1 - 5)
Western Pacific - meteorological agency’s scale
Australia - tropical cyclone intensity scale

Question 8

what is the Coriolis effect?

Answer 8

result of the Earth’s rotation on weather patterns & ocean currents making storms swirl:

CLOCKWISE in the SOUTHERN hemisphere

ANTI - CLOCKWISE in the NORTHERN hemisphere

Question 9

why do tropical storms NOT form on the equator?

Answer 9

there is no Coriolis effect

Question 10

what path do tropical storms follow?

Answer 10

their movement (track) follows global wind circulation pathways