Tropical cyclones are the deadliest tropical weather systems. This chapter describes their seasonal and geographic variability and controls, decadal cycles, and history of naming conventions. Tropical cyclogenesis is explored in depth and the core and balance solutions for regions of the cyclone are examined. Intensity is considered in terms of inner-core dynamics, large-scale environmental controls, limits on potential intensity, satellite interpretation techniques, and classification by wind speed. Factors that influence motion are investigated. Extratropical transition is described in terms of structural changes, preceding mechanisms, and impact on high latitudes. Societal impacts and mitigation are also covered.
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At the end of this chapter, you should understand and be able to:
- Describe tropical cyclone global climatology (where and when they form, where most form, least, or none form)
- Identify distinguishing features of tropical cyclones (eye, eyewall, spiral bands, surface inflow, upper outflow)
- Identify inner core features such as eye-wall vortices
- Describe ingredients needed for formation or genesis (including subtropical genesis)
- Define the stages of a tropical cyclone lifecycle (wave, depression, tropical storm, tropical cyclone, severe tropical cyclone, decay)
- Using satellite remote sensing, describe how you could detect changes in intensity of tropical cyclones
- Describe the links found between inner core dynamics and changes in cyclone structure and intensity
- Describe the mechanisms that influence tropical cyclone motion from its precursor tropical wave to its landfall in a midlatitude continent
- Describe various mechanisms that lead to extratropical transition
- Describe the hazards of tropical cyclones particularly those at landfall (storm surge, heavy rain and floods, strong winds, tornadoes, ocean waves) and understand the basic mechanisms for each type of hazard
tropical cyclone, hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, tropical depression, tropical wave, tropical meteorology, cyclone season, hurricane season, cyclone climatology, hurricane climatology, decadal cycle, 3-D structure of hurricane, inner core, landfall, balance solutions for cyclone, tropical cyclogenesis, cyclogenesis, cyclone intensity, hurricane intensity, typhoon intensity, Dvorak technique, satellite IR, satellite microwave, TRMM hurricane, potential intensity, beta gyre, beta effect, hurricane track, Fujiwhara, extratropical transition, absolute vorticity conservation, monsoon trough genesis, MJO and tropical cyclone, ENSO and tropical cyclone, ENSO and hurricane, QBO and hurricane, seasonal hurricane forecast, tropical cyclone warning, hurricane warning, societal impacts of tropical cyclone, storm surge, wind damage, tornadoes, hurricane flood, tropical flood, tropical rain, ocean waves, natural hazard
February 15 2016: HTML and media assets in this lesson have been updated for current browsers and mobile devices. All links external to COMET's MetEd site have been checked and updated.
