TROPICAL

CYCLONES
or
TROPICAL
REVOLVING
STORM

It is defined as a roughly
circular atmospheric vortex
(a spinning, turbulent, fluid
flow), originating in the
tropics or sub tropics.

Around the vortex the winds

blow in converging spiral
tracks - in an anticlockwise
direction in the N H and
clockwise in the SH.

The wind speeds reach or

exceed gale force i.e. Beaufort
Force 8 (34 40 Knots / 62 74
Km / h).

The
term

Tropical
Depression can be used in
a general sense to cover
any
Depression
in
the
tropics whatever be its

A reduction of pressure which is

large enough to be marked by a
closed circulation of winds is termed
a Tropical Depression.
On a synoptic chart this is indicated
by one or more closed isobars.

COMMON FEATURES
between
MID LATITUDE
DEPRESSIONS
and
TROPICAL CYCLONES

Both are atmospheric vortices

in which the airflow in the
lowest
layers
of
the
atmosphere
follows
nearly
spiral tracks towards a centre
of Low Pressure.
Both
are
associated
strong
winds
and
Pressures.

with
Low

DIFFERENCE
between
MID LATITUDE
DEPRESSIONS
and
TROPICAL CYCLONES

TROPICAL
LATITUDE
REVOLVING
STORM

MID
DEPRESSION

Diameter 400
1000
to 500 nm.

Diameter
to 2000 nm.

Pressure

Pressure

TROPICAL
REVOLVING
STORM

MID LATITUDE
DEPRESSION

Winds stronger.
stronger.

Winds less

Increase of wind
Increase of
wind speed slow at first,
speed
gradual
then more & more
almost
uniform
rapidly to about 90
increase
from

DEGREES
of INTENSITY
of
TROPICAL
DEPRESSIONS

Term
Wind
Beaufort Closed
(knots)
Isobars
Low
Pressure
Area

< 17

Depression 18 - 27
2

Force

1
6

Term
Wind
Beaufort Closed
(knots)
Isobars
Cyclonic
Storm 34 47

34
(Moderate
Tropical
Storm)

Severe
Cyclonic

Force

89

Term
Wind
Beaufort Closed
(knots)
Isobars

Severe
Cyclonic
Storm
56
with a
more
core of

> 64

Force

12
&

AREAS of
TRS
FORMATION

NORTH EAST PACIFIC

OCEAN
AREA
SEASON
Coastal
area from
Oct
Costa Rica

NAME

TYPHOON /
CORDONAZO

to lower California

Jun to

NORTH WEST PACIFIC OCEAN

AREA

NAME

South
China Sea,
Philippines,
Caroline
Islands,
Taiwan

TYPHOON /
BAGUIOS

SEASON

May to Nov

SOUTH WEST PACIFIC OCEAN

AREA
SEASON

NAME

Queensland
to Apr
Coast

HURRICANE

Dec

NORTH WEST ATLANTIC

OCEAN
AREA
SEASON
West Indies,
Gulf of
Mexico,
Caribbean,
Bahamas,
Florida

NAME

HURRICANE

Jun to Nov

The South Atlantic is

generally not a place where
tropical cyclones can form.
The water temperatures are
generally too cool and the
vertical wind shear too
strong.
In this area there is no
government agency that has
an official warning system for
storms.

SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN

The
sea
surface
temperatures
of
the South Atlantic
ocean are generally
too cool and the
vertical wind shear
very strong; thus
not favouring the
formation of a TRS.

Sun 28 Mar, 2004, a storm of

Hurricane intensity the first ever
recorded in the South Atlantic
Ocean
region
struck
the
Brazilian coast about 500 miles
south of Rio de Janeiro.

SOUTH WEST INDIAN

OCEAN
AREA
SEASON
Madagascar,
African coast,
Rodriguez,
Mauritius,
- Apr
Mozambique

NAME

CYCLONE

Dec

SOUTH EAST INDIAN OCEAN

AREA
SEASON
N W Australia,
Gulf of
Apr
Carpentaria
Arafura Sea

NAME

WILLY- WILLY

Dec

BAY OF BENGAL
AREA
SEASON
A & N Islands,
Indian Coast,
Myanmar,
to May
Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka

NAME

CYCLONE

Apr
Oct to Dec

ARABIAN SEA
AREA
SEASON
Lakshadweep
Islands,
Indian Coast,
to May
Arabian Coast
Dec

NAME

CYCLONE

Apr
Oct to

INSTITUTIONS
MONITORING
TRS

N E Pacific
N C Pacific
Centre
N W Pacific
Agency

National Hurricane Centre

Central Pacific Hurricane
Japan Meteorological

Northern Atlantic
Hurricane

National

NORTH INDIAN OCEAN

India Met
Dept
SOUTH WEST INDIAN OCEAN
Meteo
France, Papua New Guinea National
Weather Service, Bureau of Met (Australia)
SOUTH EAST INDIAN OCEAN
Bureau of

MOVEMENT
of TRS

In the lower latitudes initially it

moves from East to West with a
small pole ward component.
The system is embedded in the
Easterlies in the Troposphere and is

Its track is close to WNW in the

Northern Hemisphere and WSW in
the Southern Hemisphere.
The pole ward tendency is due to
variation of the Coriolis Force across
its North South extent.

The storm moves at speeds of 08 to

12 knots.
The direct movement of the storm
into higher latitudes does not take
place due to the presence of the Sub
Tropical Anticyclone.

The storm re-curves between

20 to 30 N or S. Its track is N
in NH /S in SH. Its speed of
further advance decreases and
it may become stationery.
In higher latitudes, there is an
increase in the pole ward
component as it reaches the
western edge of
the Sub
Tropical Anticyclone.

It then tracks NEly in NH and SEly

in SH) and it advances at speeds of
20 to 25 knots.
In the mid latitudes the system is
embedded in the Westerlies in the
Troposphere and is steered by it.

CONDITIONS
FAVOURABLE
for
FORMATION of
a

2 pre-requisites
are necessary for
the formation of a
TRS
A sufficiently large
sea area with SST
27 C and MORE

AVERAGE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE

(SST) of the WORLD OCEANS

The
location
should
be
sufficiently removed from the
Equator for the Coriolis Force
to be effective.
Latitude at which formation
takes place is not less than
5 N or S from the Equator
(Min distance of 500 km /
300 miles).

The role of the Coriolis Force is to provide

for gradient wind balance by correcting
the interaction of the pressure gradient
force
and geostrophic winds for

Vertical shear is the

change of winds with
height.
It interacts dynamically
with the system in its
development stage to
either increase or
decrease the vertical

Vertical Speed Shear

Significant increase of
wind
speed
with
height.
Vertical
Directional
Shear
Significant change of
wind direction with

Small Vertical Wind

Shear of < 10 m/s (22
mph) between
Surface and the
Tropopause is
required for tropical
cyclone development.

Strong wind shear can "blow"

the tropical cyclone apart.
This means that the
development must not be
under the direct influence of
a Sub Tropical Jet Stream.

Remnants of a Depression
of whatever origin after
crossing a land re-enters
sea with SST of 27 C.
E.g. Typhoons in South
China Sea enter Andaman
Sea after crossing the
land.

STRUCTURE
of a
TRS

TRS typically is about 400 to

500 nm in diameter.
It is associated with strong
winds
and low pressures.
The average central pressure
value is about 960 hPa.
Pressure gradient is very

The most characteristic

feature of a mature
hurricane is the small
central region called the
EYE.
In the EYE region winds
are light and there is
little cloud.

Immediately surrounding
the EYE is the EYE WALL.
This EYE WALL forms an
annulus, some 15 n. miles
wide.

The EYE WALL

contains dense mass
of cloud which
extends vertically
from the sea surface
to the Tropopause.

Aerial view of clouds of

Hurricane Isidor taken from
NOAA P-3 Orion Hurricane
Hunter" aircraft at an
altitude of 7,000 feet

Outside the EYE WALL are 2

areas

The cloud is mainly continuous in

the inner area while there are long
spiral bands or feeders converging
on the central cloud mass in the

The EYE of the system appears in the upper

art of the Troposphere first and then descends

WIND and
WEATHER
in

The wind increases slowly at

first.
Then progressively more and
more rapidly to a peak of, say,
90 knots near the inner margin
of an annulus which, typically,
extends from about 15 to 30 n
miles from the storm centre.
Within this annulus is the EYE of
the storm where the wind

Wind Speed in Knots

12
0
11
0
10
0
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 2010
10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 8

Distance from the Centre in Nautical M

Heavy to very heavy

rain,
sometimes
accompanied
by
thunder and lightning,
occurs in a TRS.
Rain tends to occur in
spiral bands in the outer

It becomes more intense

and more widespread in
the inner region,
reaching a maximum in
the EYE WALL.

Due to dense cloud

and the effect of
torrential rain the
visibility reduces to
very poor levels as
experienced
under
fog conditions.

Inside the EYE the rain

stops,
and
the
Visibility
improves,
the clouds break and
the wind falls rapidly.

LAND FALL

Landfall is the event of a

TRS
coming on to land after
being
over water.
The landfall area
experiences
half of a land-bound
storm by
the time the actual

For
emergency
preparedness,
actions
should be timed from when a
certain
wind
speed
or
intensity of rainfall will reach
land, not from when landfall
will occur.

WEATHER
over

Though the EYE is by far

the calmest part of the
storm, with no wind at the
center and typically clear
skies, over the ocean it is
possibly
the
most
hazardous area.

In the eye wall, wind-driven

waves are all traveling in the
same direction.
In the center of the eye,
however,
waves
from
all
directions converge, creating

SHIP
ACTION

Bulletins
issued
by
Met
services
detail
not
only
Tropical Cyclones but also the
preceding stages of Tropical
Depressions and Storms.
Ships must collect, analyze
and update this data in order
to determine the best course
to follow.

In
addition
to
this
forward assessment, the
present
conditions
of
weather and sea state
should be observed by
the
ships,
as
these
provide a cross-check on
the Met bulletins.

Before
the
bulletins
became
available,
a
procedure
called
the
Single Observers Action
was developed as a result
of seafarers experiences,
and this procedure, which
is still relevant covers the

PROCEDURE to ESTABLISH
LOCATION of VESSEL in a
TRS.
WARNING SIGNS of
PRESENCE
of a TRS.
EVASIVE ACTION to be
TAKEN

TROPICAL
CYCLONE
TERMINOLOGY

TRACK
The route over
which a
TRS has
already passed.
PATH
The expected
movement
of the TRS.
TROUGH The line of lowest
barometric

RIGHT HAND SEMI CIRCLE

(RHSC)
That half of the storm centre
which lies to the RIGHT of the
observer who faces along the
path of the storm.
LEFT HAND SEMI CIRCLE (LHSC)
That half of the storm centre
which lies to the LEFT of the

DANGEROUS SEMI CIRCLE

The RHSC in N H and LHSC in
S H.
NAVIGABLE SEMI CIRCLE
The LHSC in N H and RHSC in
S H.
DANGEROUS QUADRANT
The advance quadrant

of

When the existence of a

TRS in the vicinity has
been
established,
evasive action has to be
taken to keep the vessel
out of the dangerous
quadrant.

DANGEROUS
SEMI CIRCLE

The RHSC in N H and

LHSC in S H are the
Dangerous Semi-Circles
and so called because:

1. A low powered ship

may be
blown towards
the path
along which
the storm will pass.
2. The storm may re-curve
and the storm centre
may
pass over the
vessel.

3. The
WIND
in
the
CENTRE
and
the
REAR RIGHT QUADRANT
of the RHSC is parallel
or closely parallel
to
the direction
of travel.

The waves growing in this

region
experience
the
longest duration and fetch
of the wind.
Thus the greatest heights
and lengths develop within
the storm in the Dangerous
Semi Circle.

The wind speed in the

RHSC
will be the sum of
the cyclonic
wind and the
speed of the storm travel.

The wind speed in the

LHSC
will be the difference
between
the cyclonic wind and the

Therefore, the wind speed in

the
RHSC
exceeds
LHSC
contributing to greater wave
height in this part of the
storm.

6. The observed wind in

this region is the sum
of the
cyclonic wind
and
the
planetary
wind stream parallel to
the track.

The wind in some parts of the

RHSC in the N H is parallel to
the direction of the main
stream in which the storm is
embedded
and nearly all of the winds in
these semi-circles are parallel
to atleast some component of
the main stream.

PROCEDURE
to
ESTABLISH
LOCATION
of VESSEL

While hove to, the

bearing of the centre
of the cyclone can be
determined
by
applying Buys Ballots
law.

If the observer has his back to

the wind, then the bearing of
the centre will be to the left in
N H / right in S H as follows:-

PRESSURE
BEARING
BELOW MEAN
05 hPa
Points

12

The approximate track can

be established from 2 or
more
bearings
of
the
centre,
with interval of 2 or 3
hours
between
each
observation.

The changes of both wind

direction and speed over a
period of time are the
most significant indicators
of the vessels position.
It is recommended that
the vessel heaves to for a
time to observe the wind.

THE CHANGES WHICH WOULD INDICATE

THE
VESSELS
POSITION
ARE
AS
FOLLOWS:-

WIND DIRN
Veering
Navigable

VESSELS POSITION
NH
SH
Dangerous
Semicircle

Semicircle
Backing
Dangerous

Navigable
Semicircle

Semicircle

WARNING
SIGNS
of the
PRESENCE
of a TRS

SWELL
Depending upon the extent
of open ocean, an early
indication
of
a
tropical
cyclone
is
the
swell
generated by the winds
within the system.
These swells, generally have

SWELL
They can be observed at
some 600 nm from the
centre.
The direction from which
the swell comes is an
indication of the bearing

SKIES
An unusually clear day may
precede the appearance of
Cirrus cloud with brightly
coloured sunsets/sunrises.
The cloud base subsequently
lowers, with the onset of
showers in the outer regions

ATMOSPHERI
C

A decrease in atmospheric
pressure can indicate the
presence of a tropical
cyclone.
The
typical
diurnal
variation of pressure in
low latitudes is evident
close to and within the

However,
this
is
superimposed
on an overall decrease in
the
pressure.
The following procedure is
recommended
to
determine

1. Read the Barometer. Correct

the
reading to standard
datum (PAB: height above
Mean sea level and index
error.
2. Correct (1) for diurnal
variation of pressure from
table in pilot books or
climatological atlases, taking
into account latitude and local

3. Compare corrected
reading (2)
with mean
pressure for the time of
year.
If this reading is 3hPa
below the
mean pressure there is a
possibility of a TRS.

If it is 5hPa below, then a

tropical cyclone must be
assumed to be present
with the vessel on the
outskirts of the system.

DIURNAL VARIATION
of
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE
in the
ZONES of LATITUDE
0 to 10
and
0 to 20 N or S

Correction to be applied Average values of the

to the observed pressure barometric change in 1 h
for diurnal variation
due to the diurnal variati
----------------------------------------------------------------------Local 0 - 10 0 - 20
Local 0 - 10 0 - 20
Time N or S
N or S
Time N or S
N or S
mb
mb
mb
mb
0
-0.6
-0.5 0-1
-0.5
-0.4
1
-0.1
-0.1 1-2
-0.4
-0.4
2
+0.3
+0.3
2-3
-0.4
-0.4
3
+0.7
+0.7
3-4
-0.1
-0.1
4
+0.8
+0.8
4-5
+0.2 +0.2
5
+0.6
+0.6
5-6
+0.4 +0.4
6
+0.2
+0.2
6-7
+0.6 +0.5
7
-0.4
-0.3 7-8
+0.5 +0.5
8
-0.9
-0.8 8-9
+0.4 +0.3
9
-1.3
-1.1 9-10
+0.1 +0.1
10
-1.4
-1.2 10-11
-0.3
-0.2

Correction to be applied Average values of the

to the observed pressure barometric change in 1 h
for diurnal variation
due to the diurnal variati
----------------------------------------------------------------------Local 0 - 10 0 - 20
Local 0 - 10 0 - 20
Time N or S
N or S
Time N or S
N or S
mb
mb
mb
mb
11
-1.1
-1.0 11-12
-0.5
-0.
12
-0.6
-0.5 12-13
-0.7
-0.
13
+0.1
+0.1
13-14
-0.6
-0.
14
+0.7
+0.7
14-15
-0.6
-0.
15
+1.3
+1.1
15-16
-0.2
-0.2
16
+1.5
+1.3
16-17
+0.1
+0.1
17
+1.4
+1.2
17-18
+0.4
+0.3
18
+1.0
+0.9
18-19
+0.5
+0.6
19
-0.1
-0.2 19-20
+0.6
+0.5
20
-0.1
-0.2 20-21
+0.5
+0.4
21
-0.6
-0.5 21-22
+0.3
+0.2

Correction to be applied Average values of the

to the observed pressure barometric change in 1 h
for diurnal variation
due to the diurnal variati
----------------------------------------------------------------------Local 0 - 10 0 - 20
Local 0 - 10 0 - 20
Time N or S
N or S
Time N or S
N or S
mb
mb
mb
mb
22
-0.9
-0.8 22-23
0.0
0.0
23
-0.9
-0.8
23-24
-0.3
-0.3
24
-0.6
-0.5

In the tropics, should the barometer, after

correction for diurnal variation be as much
as 3 mbs below the monthly normal for
the area as shown in met charts, the ship
should be on alert, as there is a distinct
possibility that a TRS has formed or is

A comparison of subsequently hourly

changes in the pressure with the
corresponding figs. in table 2 will
show whether these changes indicate
a real further fall in pressure, and, if
so its amount.

CAUTION:
When
entering
a
barometric pressure in the log,
or when including it in a wireless
weather report, the correction
for diurnal variation must not be

CALM
WIND WIND
WIND
/
FORC FORCE FORCE
LIGHT
E
8
12
6
- 10 hPa -20 hPa
WIND
-5
200
12
7
1 S 0
hPA
NAUTICAL
MILES
EYE
5
5
5
Slow Fall
Rapid Fall
Diurnal
Diurnal
Very
Variation
Variation
Rapi
Evident
Just
d
Evident
Fall

EVASIVE
ACTION

SHIP IN THE NORTHERN

HEMISPHERE

1.

SEMICIRCLE

ACTION

Dangerous

Place wind 1 4
points on
Bow

Starboard
altering course
to Starboard as the
wind veers.
2. Navigable
Place wind on
or
Starboard

PATH

2
2

DIRN TO
SAIL
1 OUT
DANGEROU
S
SEMI
CIRCLE

WIN
D
DIR
N

NAVIGABLE
DIRN TO
SAIL

SEMI
CIRCLE
DIRN
TO
SAIL

TRACK

SHIP IN THE SOUTHERN

HEMISPHERE
SEMICIRCLE
1.

Dangerous

Bow
course to
as the wind
backs.
2. Navigable
Port
or

ACTION
Place wind 1 4
points on Port
altering
Port
Place wind on
Quarter

DIRN TO
SAIL
OUT

PATH

2
1

DIRN TO
SAIL
2OUT
NAVIGABLE

WIN
D
DIR
N

SEMI
CIRCLE
DANGEROU
S
SEMI
CIRCLE
DIRN
TO

TRACK

SAIL

While evasive action is

being taken, the vessel
should
continue
to
monitor the conditions.
These will indicate when
the vessel is clear of the
cyclone and the original
course and speed can be

As evasive action is taken by

a vessel in the dangerous
semi circle and maintained if
the cyclone re-curves, it may
result in the vessel entering
the system and possibly the
eye again.
Therefore,
in
latitudes
where
re-curvature
is

Where insufficient sea room

prevents
taking
evasive
action
recommended, a vessel in
the dangerous semi circle
should if possible heave to
with the wind on the
Starboard Bow in the NH
(Port Bow in the SH), thus

In the navigable semi

circle
in
either
hemisphere, the vessel
should heave to in the
most
comfortable
position relative to wind
and sea conditions.

As per SOLAS 1974 the vessel

should inform the nearest
coastal radio station and all
other vessels in the vicinity of
the storms existence.

The vessel should also update

the information at least every
3 hours while it is affected by