Storms, Hurracanes, Tornadoes, Typhoons, Hail Storms, Blizzards: 06/11/09

A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones feed on heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor contained in the moist air. They are fueled by a different heat mechanism than other cyclonic windstorms such as nor'easters, European windstorms, and polar lows, leading to their classification as "warm core" storm systems. Tropical cyclones originate in the doldrums near the equator, about 10° away from it.
The term "tropical" refers to both the geographic origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively in tropical regions of the globe, and their formation in maritime tropical air masses. The term "cyclone" refers to such storms' cyclonic nature, with counterclockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere.

Depending on its location and strength, a tropical cyclone is referred to by many other names, such as hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression, and simply cyclone.
Formation
Main article: Tropical cyclogenesis
Map of the cumulative tracks of all tropical cyclones during the 1985–2005 time period. The Pacific Ocean west of the International Date Line sees more tropical cyclones than any other basin, while there is almost no activity in the Atlantic Ocean south of the Equator.
Map of all tropical cyclone tracks from 1945 to 2006. Equal-area projection.
Worldwide, tropical cyclone activity peaks in late summer, when the difference between temperatures aloft and sea surface temperatures is the greatest. However, each particular basin has its own seasonal patterns. On a worldwide scale, May is the least active month, while September is the most active whilst November is the only month with all the tropical cyclone basins activeSize extremes.
The relative sizes of Typhoon Tip, Tropical Cyclone Tracy, and the United States.
Typhoon Tip is the largest tropical cyclone on record at 1350 miles (2170 km) wide, October (1979).
Tropical Storm Marco is the smallest significant tropical cyclone on record at 10 miles (20 km) wide, October (2008).
These sizes indicate the distance from the center at which gale-force winds could be found. Highest storm surge. The three powerful hurricanes listed below caused very high storm surge. Hurricane Katrina had the highest recorded storm surge of any Atlantic hurricane and Hurricane Camille had the second-highest. Worldwide storm surge data is sparse. Cyclone Mahina is generally regarded as having had the highest storm surge ever recorded, although measurements from before modern times must be viewed with some skepticism.
Storm surge is enhanced by high winds and greater storm size.

The shape of the coastline and the contour of the bottom near the coast are also significant factors. Hurricane Katrina was the largest Category 5 hurricane recorded in the Atlantic, and Hurricane Camille tied for the highest recorded windspeed; both struck an area vulnerable to high storm surge because of the shallow coastal waters.
Cyclone Mahina: 48 feet (15 m), South Pacific, 1899
Hurricane Katrina: 28 feet (8.5 m), Atlantic Ocean, 2005
Hurricane Camille: 24 feet (7.3 m), Atlantic Ocean, 1969

Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Typhoon Mary. Retrieved on 2007-03-17.
Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Typhoon Harriet. Retrieved on 2007-03-17.

Tropical Storm

A tropical storm is an intense thunderstorm, categorized by extremely low pressure and cyclonic wind rotation, which usually develops in the tropics. Because of the cyclonic action, the term tropical cyclone is sometimes used interchangeably with tropical storm. This use of the term is technically incorrect. Tropical cyclone actually refers to an entire class of weather systems, including tropical depressions, tropical storms, and even hurricanes.
They carry heat from lower latitudes near the equator to higher latitudes.

El Niño y La Niña

For many years, coastal residents of Peru had noticed a strange feature of the eastern Pacific Ocean waters that border their home. This region of tropical yet relatively cool water is host to one of the world's most productive fisheries and a large bird population. In the first months of each year, a warm southward current usually modified the cool waters. But every few years, this warming started early (in December), was far stronger, and lasted as long as a year or two. Torrential rains fell on the arid land; as one early observer put it, "the desert becomes a garden." Warm waters flowing south brought water snakes, bananas, and coconuts from equatorial rain forests. However, the same current shut off the deeper, cooler waters that are crucial to sustaining the region's marine life. This is El Niño, "the Christ child," so named because of its frequent late December appearance. Once thought to affect only a narrow strip of water off Peru, it is now recognized as a large-scale oceanic warming that affects most of the tropical Pacific. The meteorological effects related to El Niño and its counterpart, La Niña (a cooling of the eastern tropical Pacific), extend throughout the Pacific Rim to eastern Africa and beyond. Among the many global phenomena connected to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are Asian monsoons. The migration of the monsoon each year has been linked to the tropical Pacific rainfall patterns that are part of ENSO. The image highlights late monsoon season thunderstorms near Jamalpur, northern Bangladesh, 90.5°E, 25.0°N, 31 August 1985. From bottom right to top left one is looking southwest across Bangladesh to the Bay of Bengal and the northeastern coast of India. Evident in much of the photo is the silt laden Brahmaputra River and its branches in floodstage, flowing towards the Bay of Bengal. Jamalpur lies southwest of the Khasi Hills which form much of the state of Meghalaya in northeastern India. Geographical atlases typically show precipitation in the Khasi Hills to fall in the range of 3000-5000 mm (120-195 inches) annually, depending on elevation. However, in many localities of the Khasi Hills, annual rainfall amounts far exceed the upper limit of this range, noteworthy being Cherrapunji [elevation 1312 m (4306 ft)] on the Shillong plateau where the monsoon and strong orographic effects conspire to produce 11,420 mm (450 inches) of rain annually. Up to 9700 mm (382 inches) of this precipitation falls during the monsoon from late May to mid September, with monthly amounts in June and July often exceeding 2500 mm (98 inches). NASA image STS51F-31-069. El Niño is normally accompanied by a change in atmospheric circulation called the Southern Oscillation. Together, the ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) phenomenon is one of the main sources of interannual variability in weather and climate around the world. Since recognizing some 25 years ago that the oceanic and atmospheric parts of ENSO are strongly linked, scientists have moved steadily toward a deeper understanding of ENSO. Climate forecasters have taken the first steps toward predicting the onset of
El Niño and La Niña events months in advance. Still, much remains to be learned about these children of the tropics.

Advice for Winter Snow Storms

Have extra blankets on hand. Ensure that each member of your household has a warm coat, gloves or mittens, hat, and water-resistant boots. Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit Containing--First aid kit and essential medications. Battery-powered NOAA Weather radio, flashlight, and extra batteries. Canned food and can opener.Bottled water (at least one gallon of water per person per day to last at least 3 days). Extra warm clothing, including boots, mittens, and a hat. Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit for your car, too. Have your car winterized before winter storm season. Stay Tuned for Storm Warnings. . .Listen to NOAA Weather Radio and your local radio and TV stations for updated storm information.

Storms, Hurracanes, Tornadoes, Typhoons, Hail Storms, Blizzards

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