CLIMATE AND WEATHER PART 2 TROPICAL CYCLONES

TROPICAL CYCLONES 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS:

>REPRESENTED BY CIRCULAR ISOBARS ENCLOSING AN INTENSE LOW PRESSURE AREA
>THEY ORIGINATE OVER TROPICAL (WARM) OCEANS BETWEEN 5 DEGREES N/S TO APPROXIMATELY 25 DEGREES N/S OF THE EQUATOR
>OCEAN TEMPERATURES MUST BE 27 DEGREES AND OVER TO DEVELOP THE INTENSE LOW PRESSURE
>THEY DEVELOP IN THE EAST WIND BELT REGION (CALLED THE EASTERLIES)
>THEY MOVE FROM EAST TOM WEST AND ARE STEERED BY THE EASTERLIES
>THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CLOCKWISE WIND CIRCULATION IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, AND ANTI-CLOCKWISE CIRCULATION IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
>SIZE: THEY AVERAGE BETWEEN 300KM AND 500KM IN DIAMETER WITH THE EYE BEING ABOUT 30KM IN DIAMETER
>THEY FOLLOW ERRATIC PATHS THUS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THEIR MOVEMENT. THIS IS A RESULT OF TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCES OVER THE OCEAN THAT CAUSE THEM TO CURVE AWAY FROM THE EQUATOR

CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR THE FORMATION OF THE TROPICAL CYCLONES:

>SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES OF 27 DEGREES AND OVER
>UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS
>FORMS BETWEEN 5 AND 25 DEGREES N/S LATITUDES
>CALM CONDITIONS
>UPPER AIR DIVERGENCE  

STAGES IN THEIR FORMATIONS:

INITIAL STAGE
>DURING THIS STAGE PRESSURE IS ABOVE 100 MILLIBARS AT THE CENTRE
>ISOBARS ARE FAR APART AND SOME ARE OPEN
>THE EYE BEGINS TO FORM AS WARM AIR CONVERGES TOWARDS THE CENTRE OF THE STORM
>CIRRUS AND CUMULUS CLOUDS PRODUCE LIGHT RAIN
>GALE FORCE WINDS OCCUR UP TO 50KM FROM THE EYE

IMMATURE STAGE
>PRESSURE AT THE CENTRE DROPS BELOW 1000 MILLIBARS
>EYE INTENSIFIES AS THE AIR CONTINUES TO CONVERGE AND RISE AROUND (SPIRALS) THE CENTRE
>WINDS REACH HURRICANE STRENGTH
>DIAMETER IS ABOUT 100KM
>CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS FORM AROUND THE EYE

MATURE STAGE
>PRESSURE AT CENTRE IS FAR BELOW 1000 MILLIBARS AND STOPS DROPPING
>ISOBARS ARE CLOSE TOGETHER (STEEP PRESSURE GRADIENT)
>REACHES MAXIMUM DIAMETER OF ABOUT 300KM TO 500KM
>DANGEROUS SEMI-CIRCLE FORMS IN THE FORWARD LEFT-HAND QUADRANT OF THE CYCLONE AND EXPERIENCES THE MOST IN TENSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
>TOWERING CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS FORM AROUND THE EYE
>WINDS AT HURRICANE STRENGTH:120+KM/H

DISSIPATING STAGE
>IT DISSIPATES OR DECAYS WHEN PRESSURE BEGINS TO INCREASE TO ABOVE 1000 MILLIBARS
>THIS OCCURS WHEN THE CYCLONE:
-ENCOUNTERS LAND SURFACE: THERE IS LESS MOISTURE AND MORE FRICTION ON THE LAND.THE FRICTION DECREASES WIND SPEED.
-ENTERS COLD OCEAN WATERS: MOSTURE SUPPLIES ARE REDUCED DUE TO LESS EVAPORATION
-IS IN THE PATH OF AN ADVANCING COLD FRONT: TEMPERATURE DROPS AND PRESSURE INCREASES

IMPACT OF TROPICAL CYCLONES

>FLOODING IN LOW-LYING AREAS CAUSING DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, LOSS OF STOCK AND HUMAN LIVES
>STRONG WINDS CAUSES STORM SURGES THAT RESULTS IN SHIP WREAKS AND FLOODING OF COASTS
>DESTRUCTION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND AND CROPS LEADS TO FOOD SHORTAGES
>ECOSYSTEMS ARE DISRUPTED SINCE FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEDS ARE DESTROYED
>COASTAL EROSION THAT IMPACTS NEGATIVELY ON TOURISM
>DESTRUCTION OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION STRUCTURES LIKE ROADS, RAIL AND AIRPORTS
>SILT IS WASHED INTO DAMS THUS REDUCING THEIR WATER HOLDING CAPACITY. DREDGING BECOMES NECESSARY BUT IT IS COSTLY
>INSURANCE COMPANIES SUFFER HEAVY LOSSES DUE TO LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY BEING PAID OUT

PRECAUTIONARY AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF TROPICAL CYCLONE ACTIVITY

>STOCK UP ON CANNED FOODS AND WATER SUPPLIES
>ORGANIZE A FIRST-AID KIT AND BATTERIES FOR TRANSISTOR RADIOS, LAMPS AND TORCHES
>MOVE CATTLE AND OTHER STOCK TO HIGHER GROUNDS
>PLACE SANDBAGS ALONG RIVERS AND COASTAL AREAS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF FLOODING
>ERECT WOODEN SHUTTERS ON WINDOWS AND EDUCATE PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS DURING STORMS
>EVACUATION PLANS MUST BE SET OUT, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE IN LOW-LYING AREAS
>THERE MUST BE RESCUE TEAMS TO RESCUE PEOPLE FROM FLOODED AREAS
>A GOOD FORECASTING SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL TO TRACK AND PREDICT THE PATH OF A TROPICAL CYCLONE AND TO ISSUE WARNINGS

THE END

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