Frankie+Alfano

=__**What are cyclones?** __=

= =

**Cyclones are huge revolving storms caused by winds blowing around a central area of low atmospheric pressure. In the northern hemisphere, cyclones are called hurricanes or typhoons and their winds blow in an counter-clockwise circle. In the southern hemisphere, these tropical storms are known as cyclones, whose winds blow in a clockwise circle cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth **.

=**__Cyclones are also called ....__**= **Hurricane,** **typhoon,** **tropical storm,** **cyclonic storm,** **tropical depression, and simply** **cyclone.**

=__How to Survive a Cyclone__= **1) Listen to the experts. 2) Have a disaster plan. 3) Keep an emergency kit close by and at hand. 4) Fill containers of water. 5) Prepare your home to survive a tropical storm by securing doors and windows. 6) Stay indoors and away from windows when the storm hits.**

=__Where Do Cyclones Occur?__ = = =

PER SEASON(winds above 63 km/h) || PERCENTAGE OF GLOBAL TOTAL || SEVERE CYCLONES PER SEASON(winds above 120 km/h) ||
 * OCEAN BASIN || SEASON || AVERAGE CYCLONES
 * North Indian || May to June & October to December || 5.4 || 7% || 2.5 ||
 * Northwest Pacific || Mainly June to December || 25.7 || 31% || 16.0 ||
 * Northeast Pacific || May to November || 16.5 || 20% || 8.9 ||
 * North Atlantic || June to November || 9.7 || 11% || 5.4 ||
 * Southwest Indian || December to April || 10.4 || 12% || 4.4 ||
 * Southeast Indian/Aust || December to April || 6.9 || 8% || 3.4 ||
 * Southwest Pacific || November to April || 9.0 || 11% || 4.3 ||

=__What's the Damage?__ =  As you can see, the damage is pretty bad, this town is pretty much destroyed by the effects of a mighty cyclone. Cyclones are better known as hurricanes and can cause some serious damage almost about as quick as it comes. Damage may result in a major flood-up to 15 inches in water. Most of the damage is really not caused by the wind as much as the flying debris. An abnormal increase occurs in the ocean's water level, sometimes in an excess of several meters high. Probably a hurricane's most devastating feature, storm surges ravage low-elevation coastal areas. It is especially damaging when the storm surge occurs during high tide and, consequently, is often responsible for most hurricane-related deaths.

** __How they form? __ **
Cyclones develop over warm oceans near the equator. As the warm air rises, it becomes loaded with moisture which condenses into massive thunderclouds. Cool air rushes in to fill the void that is left, but because of the constant turning of the Earth on its axis, the air is bent inwards and spirals upward with great force.  **Tropical Disturbances** A discrete tropical weather system of apparently organized convection - generally 200 to 600 km in diameter - originating in the tropics or subtropics, having a non frontal migratory character, and maintaining its identity for 24 hours or more. It may or may not be associated with a detectable perturbation of the wind field. Disturbances associated with perturbations in the wind field and progressing through the tropics from east to west are also known as easterly waves.
 * ~ Size descriptions of tropical cyclones ||
 * ~ ROCI ||~ Type ||
 * Less than 2 degrees latitude || Very small/midget ||
 * 2 to 3 degrees of latitude || Small ||
 * 3 to 6 degrees of latitude || Medium/Average ||
 * 6 to 8 degrees of latitude || Large anti-dwarf ||
 * Over 8 degrees of latitude || Very large[|[10]] ||

__What else happens? __
 A discrete tropical weather system of apparently organized convection - generally 200 to 600 km in diameter originating in the tropics or subtropics, having a non frontal migratory character, and maintaining its identity for 24 hours or more. > A tropical cyclone in which the maximum wind speed is up to. Depressions have a closed circulation. > A tropical cyclone in which the maximum wind speed ranges from 34 kt. The convection in tropical storms is usually more concentrated near the center with outer rainfall organizing into distinct bands. > When winds in a tropical cyclone equal or exceed 64 kt it is called a hurricane. Hurricanes are further designated by categories on the SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE
 * **Tropical Disturbance**
 * **Tropical Depression**
 * **Tropical Storm**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">**Hurricane**

http://www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/Tropical/tropical.html http://www.ask.com/wiki/Tropical_cyclone http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqHED.html**
 * http://library.thinkquest.org/10136/cyclones/cycltq.htm