GEOL 2207 Lecture Notes - Indian Ocean, Maximum Sustained Wind
Document Summary
Hurricanes start as tropical disturbance, large areas of unsettled weather typically 200-600km in diameter. Tropical disturbance develops into a tropical depression when winds increase and rotate around the areas of disturbed area. Once maximum sustained wind speeds reach 63km/h, the depression is upgraded to a tropical storm and receives a name. If winds further increase, a tropical storm becomes a hurricane. Mature hurricanes averages 500km in diameter and consists of anticlockwise and spiraling clouds that swirl towards the storm"s center. Rotation gives hurricanes their characteristics circular appearance in satellite images: rotation depends on n or s hemisphere due to coriolis affect, n anti clockwise, s clockwise. For n, winds strongest on the right of eye & highest water levels. Surface winds increases towards the center of the storm eyewall. Subtropical hurricanes limited to areas where ocean waters are warm (over 26 degrees) Typhoons in the south east asia (hk, vietnam) (southwest pacific margin: very severe typhoons in india ocean.
