Tropical Cyclone A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by relatively small, intensely developed
low pressure cell that usually occur over warm oceans. Its
diameter can range between 200 and 2000 km. It is characterized
by a warm center, very steep pressure gradients and strong
cyclonic (clockwise in the southern hemisphere) winds near
the Earth's surface. The maximum wind speed
exceeds 110 km/hour. (In
the North Atlantic and eastern North Pacific regions it is
called "hurricanes", in the western North Pacific "typhoons" .) Tropical Depressions Tropical depressions are tropical cyclones with a maximum wind speed of less than 60 km/hour. It has no eye and does not typically have the organization or the spiral shape of more powerful storms. Tropical Storms They are called tropical storms when the maximum wind speed ranges between 60 and 110 km/hour. Hurricane or Typhoon Sometimes referred to as tropical cyclone (as opposed to depression or storm) is a system with sustained winds of at least 33 meters per second or 74 miles per hour. It tends to develop an eye which is an area at the center of circulation that is relatively calm with low atmospheric pressure. Go to hurricane page for more information. |
