[Physics Class Notes] on Hurricane Pdf for Exam

Introduction

One of the most dangerous forms of storm which has the capacity to destroy millions of lives, flora, fauna is known as hurricanes. Hurricanes are formed due to the warm waters near the equator.

The large strokes which formed over the Atlantic ocean and pacific ocean are termed as hurricanes. Tropical cyclones or typhoons are another name for these hurricanes. It is rapidly rotating low pressure, strong winds, and spiral arrangements of thunderstorms that produce rainfall.

Tropical, the word which is referred here is to their geographical origin, which almost forms near the tropical seas. Cyclones are the whirling winds around their central eye, it’s also referred to as winds moving in circular directions in the  seas or oceans. In the northern hemisphere, the winds in anticlockwise direction and in the southern hemisphere, the winds blow in the clockwise direction. The coriolis effect causes opposite direction of movement of winds. Tropical cyclones are formed in the warm water or large water bodies. They get energy due to the evaporation process from the surface of the ocean and it recondenses into clouds and rain when moist air rises and cools.

This is different from the mid latitude cyclone storms such as european wind storms which are dependent on the horizontal temperature constant.

What is a Hurricane?

It is a strong tropical cyclone that is formed in large water bodies and in tropical or subtropical waters. It is a low pressure rotating weather system that has organized thunderstorms. These cyclones have a diameter between 100 to 2000 km. Cyclones that have surface winds less than 39 miles per hour are known as depression and the one which is more than 39 miles per hour is known as tropical storms. When it reaches 74 miles per hour or above then it’s called a hurricane. saffir-simpson 

it is a hurricane wind scale which measures between 1 to 5 scale or category a based on the winds of hurricane. The higher the category the more destructive hurricane is. Cyclones originate in the area like November 30. Although many hurricanes have occurred before and after this time also. National hurricane centers track these hurricanes year long. And minimum it occurs on an average 12 times a year. National Oceanic and atmospheric administration is the leader in hurricane research.

How do Hurricanes Form?

On the west coast of Africa to the north of the equator, a typical towering thunderstorm cloud is present but it could soon change into a hurricane, there are many other thunderstorms that form in that particular area. And all those dark clouds start rotating around this creates an area of low atmospheric pressure which is known as the low depression area. It draws enough energy from the warmth of ocean water. The cycling stromes might grow as strong thunderstorms. In many other warm tropical areas it occurs in the world. In the Atlantic, these storms are called hurricanes and in different parts of the world, these are called typhoons or tropical storms. For the formation of hurricanes, warm water must be humid, moist air is needed in that region. Now, when the humid air is rising above at a low-pressure zone or area the water then is released from the air creating storm clouds. As it rises hurricanes air also starts rotating. Towards the northern hemisphere, the air gets curved which is present in the middle of the hurricanes and then the same air rotates towards the southern hemisphere forming clockwise and anticlockwise rotation.

Difference between Hurricane and Typhoon

Hurricanes and typhoons both are tropical cyclones. Metrologists use the common term tropical cyclones, to describe rotating organization of clouds which occurs over low-pressure circulation.

A tropical depression is also known as the weakest tropical cyclone. If a cyclone is having 39 miles per hour speed then it’s admitted as not too disastrous a cyclone however if the same cyclone is more than 39 and till 76 or above then it’s said to be a hurricane that has the capacity to destroy many things. A hurricane is very much destructive it causes damages to property, peoples life, and even many more destruction, whereas a cyclone or a typhoon is less dangerous this is because the continuous supply of warm water current to the cyclone is less, whereas a hurricane is continuously provided by the warm water to the clouds.

Pre-existing weather disturbance, moisture, warm tropical, relative light wind are the factors that are the ingredients for tropical cyclones.