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CYCLONES OR HURRICANES

3st PART
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DESCRIPTION OF CYCLONES

TYPES AND CONDITONS OF FORMATION

LOCATIONS AND DIRECTIONS CYCLONES

NUMBER OF CYCLONE BY YEAR

CLASSIFICATION AND CONSEQUENCES OF CYCLONES

IMAGES AND ANIMATIONS OF CYCLONES


CLASSIFICATION AND CONSEQUENCES OF CYCLONES

It is unimaginable to see all the energy that can release a cyclone. It can release energy more than 15 atomic bombs of type Hiroshima to the second. The wind speed is the main source for classified cyclones...

We talk about :

- Low tropical depression when the wind is lower than 37 mph (60 km/h) ;
- Moderate tropical storm when winds are higher than 37 mph (60 km/h) but lower than 56 mph (90 km/h) ;
-Tropical storm when winds are higher than 56 mph (90 km/h) and lower than 74,5 mph (120 km/h) ;
-Tropical cyclone or hurricane when winds are higher than 74,5 mph (120 km/h) ;

For classifying cyclones since 1981 the Saffir-Simpson scale is used to give an idea of the damage that could cause the winds and storm surge during the cyclone. This scale is 1 to 5.

CATEGORY
PRESSURE
WIND
DAMAGES
1
> or = 980 hPa
74 to 95 mph
(118 to 153 km/h)
(e.g. hurricane Jerry (1989))
Some minor damage
2
979 to 965 hPa
95 to 110 mph
(154 to 177 km/h)
(e.g. cyclone Bob (1991))
Major damage and
plants uprooted
3
964 to 945 hPA
111 to 130 mph
(178 to 209 km/h)
(e.g. hurricane Gloria (1985))
Roofs, windows and doors will be
damaged and uprooted trees
4
944 to 920 hPa
131 to 155 mph
(210 to 249 km/h)
(e.g. hurricane Hugo (1989))
No mobile home not there will survive. Significant damage to the
basements of the houses.
5
lower than 919 hPa
more to 155 mph
(more to 249 km/h)
(e.g. hurricane Gilbert 885 hPa)
Destruction of large buildings.
Multiple roof collapse.
Very extensive damage

The power of tropical cyclones is evaluated according to the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Cyclones can do much damage when they arrive on the coasts. The cause of their devastating power is exercised in three areas : wind, rain and the sea.

  • Cyclones have very high winds create significant damage to homes and throughout the territory (191 mph (308 km/h) typhoon Tip Pacific 1979). The greatest damage comes from debris, tiles, pieces of roofs and windows which are carried out at a high speed and can do much damage because of their speed. All electrical and telephone networks are destroyed. The record of the wind speed recorded in the ocean level was in cyclone Rick in the Eastern Pacific on 18/10/2009 with 217 mph (350.km/h). And above the floor the record is the hurricane WILMA coming from the Atlantic with winds of 205 mph (330.km/h) the 19/10/2005 and the second record is hurricane GILBERT with 199 mph (320.km/h) and an atmospheric pressure of 888 hPa in 1988.

  • Those which are accompanied by heavy rainfalls cause a lot of damage in the mountainous and in flood-prone areas. Flashfloods, landslides, mudflows and floods. The rainfall records are often recorded in Reunion due to its high relief and geographical position (1144 mm of water in 12 hours with the cyclone Denise in 1966).

  • Then cyclones are followed by a phenomenon called "storm surge". This latter is a swelling sea level in the area of the cyclone which is produced by the very low pressure in the center of the phenomenon associated with a particular relief of the seabeds (continental shelf). Storm surges are more or less important according to the places where they occur. When they occur in the area of the West Indies (75 cm with hurricane Luis in 1995) are weaker than if they take place in the Indian Ocean or Pacific (13 m in Australia in 1899 by cyclone Bathurst Bay).

  • The lower the stratospheric temperature would affect on cyclones as can be seen when we see significant anomaly above major cyclones as WILMA with a stratospheric temperature of only -124,6°F (-87°C) or -112°F (-80°C) with the hurricane ALPHA or -112°F (-80°C) above the cyclone MONICA.

  • The cyclones are rarely traversed by numerous lightning. But in 2005, violent hurricanes Rita, Katrina and Emily were. The cause of this is difficult to explain by climatologists. But this year, records of the stratospheric temperature were recorded. Above Wilma, the most powerful cyclone, only -124,6°F (-87°C). This could be the cause of this electric rate higher than normal over cyclones as drops of water had to be transformed into ice and in bumping had resulted in more positive charges. And therefore lightnings had formed.

  • Tornadoes can occur after the passage a hurricane as it was the case in 1988 where the eye of the hurricane "Gilbert" is passed well to south of the Mexican border and left 41 tornadoes across Texas.

 

 

Significant waves during a cyclone

 

 

IMAGES AND ANIMATIONS OF CYCLONES

 

Click here to enlarge hurricane Elena seen 31/07/1985 the Gulf of the Mexico

Hurricane Lili in the Gulf
of Mexico on 02/10/2002

Click here to see the eye of hurricane Katrina taken by
the NOAA P-3 (28/08/2005)

Hurricane Sandy ready to
pass over New York in 2012

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE CYCLONES ANIMED


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