GG231 Lecture 8: Lesson 8 – Hurricanes and Cyclones
Document Summary
Storm characteristics: tropical: refer to storms that develop close to the equator in the warmer, tropical waters typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes. Hurricane: western pacific ocean and north of the equator. Follow distinctive paths to the west then to the north due to. Year before katrine significant number of severely damaging hurricanes. Typhoon: pacific ocean south of equator and indian ocean. Cyclone: atlantic and eastern pacific oceans: extratropical: begin in mid-latitudes that result in the meeting of air masses along fronts and linked to low pressure cells. Strong temp gradient in the air near the surface. Hurricanes and tornadoes: 5 differences tornadoes have a diameters on the scale of 100s of meters and are produced from a single convective storm. Cyclone has a diameter on the scale of 100s of kms and is comprised of several to dozens of convective storms. Tornadoes require substantial vertical shear of the horizontal winds.
