Tropical Cyclones-1
Tropical Cyclones-1
Tropical Cyclones-1
Introduction
• Tropical cyclone originates in Tropical region, generally within 30 degree North and
South latitudes.
• Drawing energy from the warm sea surface of the tropics and maintaining strength
as long as it remains over warm water, a tropical cyclone generates wind speed that
exceeds 119 km per hour.
• In extreme cases winds may exceed 240 km per hour and may surpass 320 km per
hour.
• Tropical cyclone is one of the extreme weather events by causing loss of human
lives as well as economic losses.
• These are called tropical cyclones because they form over the warm waters of the
tropical oceans.
• Depending on their strength and location these are known by various terms.
• There are two distinct seasons of tropical cyclones – one is from May to
June and other from mid September to mid December.
A cyclone is a low pressure area surrounded by high pressure areas on all sides. The
low pressure area is known as the eye of the cyclone around which winds blow in anti-
clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise direction in the
Southern Hemisphere.
Structurally a tropical cyclone can be divided into six distinct regions from the
centre to the outermost limit.
1. The Eye: The small central part of the tropical cyclone is known as eye. It is an
area of relatively calm winds and clear skies. The pressure is lowest and
temperature is highest in this region with partly cloudy skies or clear weather.
2. Eye Wall: Around the ‘eye’ is a wall which may be circular, concentric or
elliptical in shape. Some of the strongest winds and highest intensities of rainfall
occur in the eye wall.
3. Spiral Bands: Beyond the eye wall spiraling rain bands occur up to 400km.
High winds associated with heavy downpours often occur in individual rain
bands.
4. The Annular Zone: Next to the spiral bands is the annular zone which is
characterized by suppressed cloudiness, high temperature and low humidity.
5. Outer Convective Band: It occurs at the edge of the main cloudiness and
surrounds the annular zone.
6. Outflow: This is the outermost fringe of the cyclone. Beyond this region, the
tropical cyclone ceases to exist and normal atmospheric conditions prevail.
Major Tropical Cyclones
Cyclones in India
• In India tropical cyclones originate both in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
80% of the total cyclones generates in Bay of Bengal and affects the eastern coastal
areas of West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• On May 9, 1990 a cyclone expected to strike Tamil Nadu shifted northwards and hit
Andhra Pradesh with strong winds of speed 225 to 250 km per hour.
• About 600 people los lives, 30,000 became homeless, 90,000 cattle perished and
property worth Rs. 1000 crores was destroyed.
• On October 29, 1999, the strongest cyclone in the cyclonic history of India moved
with a velocity of about 300 km per hour and battered ten coastal districts of Odisha
for more than 20 hours.
• Over 20,000 people were killed, 200 villages completely washed away, several
hundreds of thousand cattle perished, and property worth Rs 10,000 crore was
destroyed.
Cyclones in the United States
• Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005 an took a toll of 1000
lives.
• The storm itself did a great deal of damage but its aftermath was catastrophic.
• When the storm surge (as high as 9 m) arrived it inundated the surrounding
areas.
Cyclones in Bangladesh
• Severe cyclone storm Aila was te worst natural disaster to affect Bangladesh.
• Aila formed over the Bay of Bengal on May 23, 2009. It was relatively strong
tropical cyclone caused extensive damage in India and Bangladesh.
• It resulted in 190 fatalities and at least 7000 injuries across the Khulna and Satkhira
district.
• About 9.3 million people were affected by the cyclones of which 1 million were
rendered homeless.
Consequences
a. Fierce Wind: Fierce wind can damage or destroy vehicles, buildings, bridges etc
making the environment dangerous.
b. Heavy Rain: Intense rainfall causes floods in rivers and stream, landslides,
impassable roads etc.
c. Storm Surge: The storm surge is the sudden rise of sea level on the coast which
can flood coastal areas. It causes saline inundation. Storm surge causes heavy loss
to the life and property.
d. Power Outrages: Tropical cyclone often knocks out power transmission lines,
prohibiting vital communication and hampering rescue efforts.