GOPH 375 Lecture : Chapter 12.1.docx
Document Summary
Convert heat energy of ocean into winds and waves. Hurricanes push surges (large mass of sea water) onshore and raise sea level. Long lasting: about an hour or two; bigger, slower, longer than tornadoes: warm water greater than 27 degrees c threshold. They are a heat engine extracting energy from warm (ocean) waters. Water must be greater than 60m thick: no or little wind shear (winds travelling different directions/velocities, air over the water must be warm, humid and unstable (usually around equator) Running off latent heat of condensation: coriolis effect must occur to spin the system - air spirals upwind cyclones, typhoons, upper-level winds should be weak and preferably blowing in the same direction the storm is moving. Hurricane development: tropical disturbance - low pressure zones that draw in a cluster of thunderstorms with weak winds, tropical depression surface winds strengthen and flow around a center.
