

Occurrence of Tropical Storm
Tropical Storm occurs in the Earth’s Ocean Basins where tropical cyclones are found. They are precisely centered in the North Atlantic, Northeast and Central Pacific, Northwest and Southwest Pacific, and also in Indian. Tropical storms are quite similar to intense and mature tropical cyclones. These cyclones possess horizontal dimensions of about 160 km (which is around 100 miles).
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We will further know in detail about the tropical storms. Also, we will enlighten on Tropical Weather.
Tropical Storm
A tropical storm is a storm that has an organized center and has low pressure which originates over the warm tropical oceans. The surface winds maximize their range from 63 to 118 km (that is 39 to 73 miles) on a per-hour basis. These kinds of storms represent the intermediate stage which is between the organized tropical depressions which are loosely formed and other intense tropical cyclones which are known as hurricanes or typhoons, they are named differently in different parts of the globe.
The winds are the highest at the surface area but decrease with the increasing altitude. These winds typically attain the approximate intensity of about 30–50 km (that is 20–30 miles) which is away from the center of the circulation.
Tropical Weather
Two reasons why tropical weather is different from the weather in higher latitudes. The reason is here, the sun shines directly on the tropics rather than shining directly on the higher latitudes. They shine directly at least on an average over a year, this makes the tropics very warm compared to the higher latitude regions. Another reason is, the vertical direction, while one stands on the earth’s surface, is perpendicular to the Earth's axis of rotation at its equator. The axis of rotation and the vertical are the same at the pole, this causes the rotation of the earth to influence the atmospheric circulation more intently at higher latitudes than at the lower latitudes.
For these above-mentioned factors, clouds and rainstorms occur in the tropics more spontaneously than compared to that in the higher latitudes. In these, they are more tightly controlled by the larger-scale forces in the atmosphere. For these differences, the clouds and rain are very difficult to forecast in the tropics than at the higher latitudes. On the other hand, the temperature can be easily forecasted in the tropics, as it doesn't differ much.
Heat, Moisture, Clouds, and Rain
With higher temperatures, more water vapour gets collected in the air without the process of condensing. When the sun shines strongly on the tropic regions mainly on the warm oceans they have an effectively infinite amount of water that evaporates into the open air. This is the time when the overlying atmosphere becomes humid.
Temperature and pressure both drop very quickly with the increasing altitude, this happens in the tropical regions as elsewhere on the Earth. If the warm air is lighter than the air surrounding it, this will expand and cool. Thus, it will cause water vapour in it to condense into these tiny liquid droplets and this forms a cloud. The latent heat of the condensation warms the air, this causes the air to become warmer, which further allows the air to updraft and rise. After enough water condenses, then the cloud droplets can become large enough to fall as rain.
Sometimes the tropical shower ends quite quickly when the rain evaporates. The evaporating rain cools the air which is located near the surface, the warm air rises into a new cloud. Also, the cooling effect with the weight of the rain itself can create a downdraft which will be enough to create turbulence which then turns and lifts the nearby warm, making the air humid, making a new updraft. This process then well feeds on itself to produce a large complex of storms that maintains the rainy weather over a couple of days.
More on Tropical Storms
The tropical storms act as precursors for the more intense tropical cyclones, which occur more often. The yearly average tropical storms that occur in the various ocean basins are as follows:
North Atlantic
North Eastern Pacific
North Western Pacific
Northern Indian
South Western Indian
Australian.
In all the ocean basins, roughly around 45 percent of the tropical storms continue to intensify their motion to minimal tropical-cyclone strength or greater.
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The above image depicts the data of the number of tropical cyclones and tropical storms that occur around the globe.
There are a number of factors that might result in the failure of a tropical storm to continue to intensify a particular area. In some cases, the storm also moves into a region where the large-scale environment will not favor further growth. The sea surface temperature is quite low, the middle atmosphere is also too dry, or the winds which are blowing at the upper levels are too high to support the continued vertical development of the storm.
FAQs on Tropical Storm
1. What exactly is a tropical storm?
A tropical storm is a large, rotating storm system that forms over warm tropical oceans. It is characterised by a low-pressure centre, very strong winds, and heavy, spiralling rain clouds. These storms draw their energy from the heat of the ocean water.
2. Are tropical storms, hurricanes, and typhoons the same thing?
Yes, they are all the same type of weather phenomenon. The name simply changes based on where in the world the storm occurs.
- In the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, they are called hurricanes.
- In the Northwest Pacific, they are called typhoons.
- In the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, they are called tropical cyclones.
3. What main conditions are needed for a tropical storm to form?
For a tropical storm to develop, several specific conditions must be met:
- Warm Ocean Water: The sea surface temperature needs to be at least 26.5°C (80°F).
- High Humidity: There must be a lot of moisture in the air to fuel the storm.
- Low Wind Shear: The wind speed and direction must be consistent throughout the atmosphere to allow the storm to grow vertically.
- Coriolis Effect: The storm must form at least 5 degrees north or south of the equator for the Earth's rotation to give it a spin.
4. What is the 'eye' of a tropical storm, and what is it like inside?
The 'eye' is the calm, low-pressure centre of a powerful tropical storm. While the storm itself is violent, the eye is surprisingly peaceful with light winds and often clear skies. It is surrounded by the eyewall, which is the most intense part of the storm with the strongest winds and heaviest rain.
5. Why do tropical storms weaken or die out when they hit land?
Tropical storms lose their strength rapidly over land for two main reasons. First, they are cut off from their primary fuel source: the warm, moist air from the ocean. Second, the friction from the land surface, with its hills, trees, and buildings, disrupts the storm's circulation and slows it down.
6. How does the Earth's rotation affect a tropical storm?
The Earth's rotation creates a force called the Coriolis effect, which is essential for giving a tropical storm its spin. This force deflects moving air, causing storms in the Northern Hemisphere to rotate counter-clockwise and storms in the Southern Hemisphere to rotate clockwise. Without this effect, the winds would flow directly into the low-pressure centre instead of rotating around it.
7. How does condensation act as the 'fuel' for a tropical storm?
Condensation is the engine of a tropical storm. When warm, moist air rises from the ocean's surface, it cools, and the water vapour condenses into cloud droplets. This process releases a massive amount of energy known as latent heat. This heat warms the surrounding air, making it lighter and causing it to rise even faster, which strengthens the storm's updrafts and lowers the pressure at the centre, making the storm more powerful.
8. What are some real-world examples of major tropical storms?
Some of the most well-known and powerful tropical storms in recent history include:
- Hurricane Katrina (2005): A devastating storm that hit the Gulf Coast of the United States.
- Typhoon Haiyan (2013): One of the strongest typhoons ever recorded, which caused immense destruction in the Philippines.
- Cyclone Amphan (2020): A powerful tropical cyclone that impacted parts of India and Bangladesh.

















