Why in the News?

Hurricane Milton, a powerful storm in the 2024 Atlantic season, reached Category 5 intensity over the Gulf of Mexico before weakening to Category 3 as it made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida. With maximum winds of 180 mph and a minimum pressure of 897 mbar, it became one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes recorded. The storm caused severe damage across Florida, leaving at least 16 dead and leading to estimated losses of up to $50 billion due to widespread flooding and wind damage.

How Tropical Cyclone Turns into a Hurricane?

• A tropical cyclone turns into a hurricane through a process driven by warm ocean waters, moisture and low wind shear.
• As a tropical disturbance strengthens, it becomes a tropical depression and then a tropical storm as wind speeds increase.
• When sustained winds reach 74 mph (119 km/h), it is classified as a hurricane.

Hurricanes

• It is a powerful tropical cyclone that forms over warm ocean waters, typically in the Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific Ocean.
• It is characterized by strong winds, heavy rain and thunderstorms, with a well-defined eye at its center.
• Structure: A hurricane has a well-defined eye, surrounded by the eye wall, where winds are strongest, and rain bands that extend outward.
• Categories: Measured on the Saffir-Simpson scale from Category 1 (least severe) to Category 5 (most severe), based on sustained wind speeds.
• Lifecycle: A hurricane may weaken when it moves over land or colder waters, eventually dissipating as it loses its energy source.
• Names in Different Regions
  • Typhoons: China Sea and Pacific Ocean
  • Tornados: Guinea lands of West Africa and Southern USA
  • Willy-willies: North-western Australia
  • Tropical Cyclones: Indian Ocean
  • Hurricanes: West Indian islands in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean

Tropical Cyclones in Different Regions