Global
Tropical Cyclone Track Map 1985-2005
Some interesting maps and information on tropical
cyclones. Below is a fantastic map showing the
cumulative tracks of all tropical cyclones during
the period 1985 to 2005. The Pacific Ocean west of the
International Date Line sees more tropical cyclones
than any other basin, while there is almost no
activity in the Atlantic Ocean south of the Equator.
The
north-west coast of Australia regularly sees
cyclones form in the warm Indian Ocean between there
and Indonesia. Cyclones regularly track down the
north-west coast and make landfall. This area is
unofficially known to some as Cyclone Alley.
A
tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by
a large low pressure centre and numerous
thunderstorms that produce strong winds and flooding
rain. Tropical cyclones feed on heat released when
moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water
vapour contained in the moist air. They are fuelled
by a different heat mechanism than other cyclonic
windstorms such as nor'easters, European windstorms,
and polar lows, leading to their classification as
"warm core" storm systems.
The
term "tropical" refers to both the geographic origin
of these systems, which form almost exclusively in
tropical regions of the globe, and their formation
in Maritime Tropical air masses. The term "cyclone"
refers to such storms cyclonic nature, with
counter-clockwise rotation in the Northern
Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern
Hemisphere. Depending on its location and strength,
a tropical cyclone is referred to by many other
names, such as hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm,
cyclonic storm, tropical depression, and simply
cyclone.
