Tropical cyclone

Conditions leading to formation of tropical cyclones

over warm tropical oceans over 26 degrees ( continuous source of heat to maintain rising air currents a depth of ocean of at least 70M ( sufficient warm water and a large supply of moisture to provide latent heat, released by condensation, to drive the system) a location at least 5 degrees N and S of the equator in order that the Coriolis effect can bring about the maximum rotation of air ( Coriolis effect is weak at the equator and will not allow a circular motion to develop) The tropical cyclones fades away when it reaches land due to the lack of warm moist air supply and increased friction of the land surface.

Spatial distribution of tropical cyclones Tropical cyclones occur between 5 and 20 north and south of the equator, as nearer to the equator and the weaker the spin. Once generated they move westwards to be at their most destructive in:
All move east to west in N hemisphere, west to east in S hemisphere In the northern hemisphere, the coriolis effect deflects winds to the right, causing tropical cyclones to rotate in an anti-clockwise direction. In the southern hemisphere, winds are deflected to the left, causing tropical cyclones to rotate in a clockwise direction.

the Caribbean Sea/Gulf of Mexico area (known as hurricanes)hurricanes season August-October (the area has 11% of all tropical cyclones)

the western side of Central America (east Pacific) hurricane season June-October (17%) the Arabian sea/bay of Bengal area (known as cyclones) cyclone season October-November (8%) off SEA (known as typhoons)-typhoon season May-December (main area with one-third of all cyclones) off Madagascar in South-east Africa-cyclone season December March (11%) northern Australia (known as willy-willies) and the south-western Pacific-season January-March (20%)

Characteristics of tropical cyclone Strong winds

Sustained wind speeds of 119km/h of more because of a

strong

pressure

gradient.
The steep pressure gradient results in strong winds spiraling inwards and upwards at high speed.

Low pressure central

Spiraling winds at centre of cyclone results in a column of sinking air known as eye.

formed at the eye as warm, moist air over the ocean expands and rises. As warm air rises, condensation occurs

and releases latent heat.

Latent heat is released when water vapour condenses in to water droplet. The continuous large scale releases of latent

heat in the air, causing the air to expand and rise.

This

reduces

air

pressure

near

ocean

surface, creating area of low pressure in the centre of cyclone.

Challenges to rescue effort ( response) Road obstruction Phone line down No electricity Limited resources Reluctance of govt to allow foreign aid workers Abuse of aid by corrupt government

Note for conclusion: underlying causes why developing countries suffer more, lack of resource, and poor infrastructure, sometimes unwillingness of government to cater for welfare. Impacts on physical and human environment
Points

High wind speeds

Explanation 150-320km swirling air Brings structural damage to building, roads, bridges, Cause debris to fly and hit people and building Upper floors of high building most vulnerable as wind speeds usually increase with height Affects a large area Examples to support 1992, hurricane Andrew had wind speeds up to 177km/h, Causing widespread damage to Bahamas and various part of US

Heavy torrential rain

Causing damage to infrastructure, disrupted power supply and left abt 150,000 homes without electricity Often more than 100mm per day Heavy rainfall destabilise slopes when there is too much water in the soil. The excess water in the soil causes the soil to be unstable and may lead to a landslide. Hence unstable slopes are especially vulnerable to landslides.

Landslides can entirely remove or crush buildings.

Exceeding levee capacity, therefore causing overflowing of water

Severe flooding( and landslides) causing death(drowning) and diseases (cholera, typhoid), disruptions to transportation (destruction of transport road) etc.
Examples to support

Hurricane Isabel flooded rivers that

flowed across states like Virginia , Delaware, Maryland. Extremely high amount of torrential rain Overflowing of rivers Resulted in damage of 2.23 billion

Hurricane Mitch- the system was so

slow moving and produced torrential rain. It has been estimated 1000mm of rainfall in 5 days (usually received in 1 year). Disastrous landsholed, sweeping way and burying people homes and farmland. Hence the death toll 15000 to 20000, transport links obliterated. 50 main bridges were

Storm surges ( most devastating effect )

Dome of water abt 65-80km wide, up to 8m high , Sweeps across the coast near the point where the eye of storm Caused by piling up of wind driven waves Low lying areas are more susceptible, resulting in death and salt contamination of agricultural land Examples to support This causes massive flooding, thus destroying properties, and high death tolls In 2008, hurricane Ike causes storm surge of 4-6m above normal sea levee in Texas, and it was the major contributor of the property damage of US$24.9 billion.

destiyed (When tropical cyclone forms over warm ocean waters, The intense low pressure in eye of tropical cyclone causes sea level rise Strong winds push the water towards the coast and create huge waves Creating storm surge)

4) Physical, economic, social, political impacts

a) Social impacts
Points Explanation

Escalating prices for food

Social instability

1) As people have no food or money, 2) they resort to looting to survive. 3) Thus government spends more effort on keeping law and order, 4) with rescue efforts being a second

priority for officers. 5) This causes more death of people, thus causing more panic.

Spread of diseases

1) Water borne diseases spread rapidly, also there is a lack of hygiene 2) Flooding cause sewage from burst sewage pipes to flow into and contaminate existing water supply. 3) Eg cholera, dengue fever . 4)

in 2009 for cyclone Aila that hit west

Displacement from their homes

Bengal India, it contaminated drinking water causing cholera outbreak reuslting1000 infected people and 14 death. 1) As high wind speed, torrential rain destroy houses, people have nowhere to go. 2) Some houses get swept away by the flood. In 2005, for hurricane Katrina, thousands of people lived in temporary shelter which some victims lived after the event.

b) economic impacts
Points Explanation
1)

Loss of income due to damaged crops

Infrastructure damage

Damaged crops-2011 Queensland Yasi , sugar cane farmers suffered

economic losses, as the tropical cyclone destroyed 20% of total area farmland 1) Katrina coast US 81 billion, a large portion coming from repair of 200,000 houses. Food supplies were destroyed, leading to serious shortages and food prices increased rapidly.
1) Closure of international finance institutions such as Hong Kong stock exchange, 2) potential damage to overseas investments from companies and crops from overseas supplier

Increased food prices Disrupted financial activities