Tropical storms often form over oceans because they need warm waters to develop and strengthen. The evaporation of surface water from the oceans creates the necessary water vapor for storm formation.
To put it simply, the ocean is a massive reservoir of moisture, and it is precisely this moisture that fuels tropical storms. In warm weather, water easily evaporates from the surface of the sea, and this evaporation directly feeds the air with water vapor. The more moisture the air absorbs, the higher it rises, cools, condenses to form clouds, and with them, violent storms. This mechanism releases a huge amount of energy known as latent heat, the true energy source that intensifies tropical storms, potentially even creating powerful cyclones. Without this reservoir of moisture from the ocean, these storms simply would not be as intense.
The high temperature at the ocean's surface is a key ingredient in the formation of tropical storms. When the water exceeds about 26°C, it evaporates more easily, releasing a significant amount of moisture and heat into the atmosphere. This warm, moist air rises quickly, cools at high altitudes, forms thick clouds, and releases even more heat, thus strengthening the phenomenon. The higher the ocean temperature, the more abundant and rapidly this energy fuel becomes, creating a perfect environment for storms to gain power. Prolonged warm water also keeps this infernal machine active longer.
Warm ocean currents heat the air just above them. This warm air becomes lighter, rises, and causes a decrease in atmospheric pressure at the ocean's surface. The phenomenon attracts more surrounding moist air, further fueling the process. Meanwhile, the cooled air aloft descends from a distance, creating a circular movement called atmospheric circulation. The interaction between these ocean currents and atmospheric systems then fosters the formation and intensification of tropical storms.
The rotation of the Earth plays a key role in the formation of tropical storms through the Coriolis effect. This effect, caused by the Earth's rotation, deflects winds to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere. Due to these deflections, warm, moist air begins to rotate around a common center, gradually creating a cyclonic rotation. The closer one is to the equator, the weaker this effect is, which is why tropical storms generally occur beyond 5° of latitude north or south, where the Coriolis effect is strong enough to create a clearly visible rotation. Without this Earth's rotation, the wind would blow straight, with no possible swirling, thereby preventing any organized tropical cyclone formation.
For a tropical storm to develop, a specific atmospheric setup is required. First, the atmosphere needs to be quite unstable: warm air at the surface must rise easily to create powerful updrafts, which helps clouds grow rapidly. At higher altitudes, it is better for the winds to be relatively calm, with little vertical wind shear, in other words, no significant changes in speed or direction as one ascends. Too much difference between these levels completely disrupts the cloud structure and inhibits the proper development of an organized storm. Finally, it is beneficial to have a sufficiently moist air mass throughout the height to continuously feed the cloud and keep the storm's thermal engine running.
The Earth's rotation influences the rotation of tropical storms: in the Northern Hemisphere, they generally rotate counterclockwise, while they rotate clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere, due to the Coriolis effect.
The El Niño phenomenon, characterized by a warming of the Pacific waters, can alter the formation of tropical storms by influencing their trajectory and intensity.
For a tropical storm to develop, the surface water temperature must generally be above about 26.5 degrees Celsius, allowing for significant evaporation.
As the oceans warm due to climate change, scientists are observing that some tropical storms are intensifying more rapidly than before, thus increasing their unpredictability.
Tropical and subtropical regions have sufficiently high ocean temperatures to provide the thermal energy necessary for the development of intense storms. Furthermore, the absence of extreme temperature fluctuations and significant upper-level wind systems in these areas facilitates the formation and development of these phenomena.
These terms actually describe the same meteorological phenomenon: a tropical depression system. The difference mainly lies in the geographical region concerned and the intensity of the winds. In the Atlantic and the eastern Pacific, powerful systems are called hurricanes. In the western Pacific, they are referred to as typhoons, while the term cyclone is generally used in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific.
Certain meteorological factors, such as high vertical wind shear, the presence of a dry atmospheric layer, or insufficient ocean temperatures, can prevent the formation or inhibit the development of tropical storms.
Sure! Here’s the translation: "Yes. For example, during El Niño years, the frequency of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean tends to decrease due to an increase in vertical wind shear. In contrast, with La Niña, conditions are generally favorable for an increased number of cyclonic events in the Atlantic."
Tropical storms draw their energy from the moisture and heat provided by warm oceans. When they reach land, this energy supply is interrupted, leading to a rapid decrease in their intensity.
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