Hurricanes

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Cyclone Noun

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[sy-klohn]

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Cyclone

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An umbrella term for a large system of winds rotating inward to an area of low atmospheric pressure.

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Example: This diagram shows how a tropical cyclone forms over warm ocean water, with warm, moist air rising and creating a low-pressure eye while air circulates.

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Hurricane Noun

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[hur-i-keyn]

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Hurricane

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A large, rotating storm with high-speed winds that forms over warm waters in tropical areas, also called a tropical cyclone.

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Example: This diagram shows a hurricane's cross-section, with warm, moist air rising in the eyewall and cool, dry air descending in the calm central eye.

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Tornado Noun

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[tor-ney-doh]

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Tornado

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A destructive vortex of violently rotating winds that appears as a funnel-shaped cloud and can be generated by hurricanes.

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Example: This diagram shows how a tornado works: a powerful, rotating column of air with updrafts and downdrafts, connecting a storm cloud to the ground.

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Tropical Cyclone Noun

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[trop-i-kuhl sy-klohn]

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Tropical Cyclone

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The scientific name for a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters.

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Example: This diagram shows a cross-section of a tropical cyclone, revealing how moist warm air converges at the surface, rises in thunderstorm bands, and diverges high in the atmosphere.

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Tropical Depression Noun

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[trop-i-kuhl dih-presh-uhn]

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Tropical Depression

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An early stage of hurricane development, characterized by a low-pressure area with rotating thunderstorms and winds below 39 mph.

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Example: This diagram shows a tropical depression as the second stage of a hurricane's development, where a storm system becomes an organized low-pressure center.

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Latent Heat Noun

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[leyt-nt heet]

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Latent Heat

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The energy released when water vapor condenses into liquid, which serves as the primary power source for a hurricane.

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Example: The sun heats the ground, causing warm, moist air to rise. As the air rises, it cools and the water vapor condenses, releasing latent heat energy.

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Wind Shear Noun

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[wind sheer]

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Wind Shear

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The variation in wind speed or direction over a short distance in the atmosphere; low wind shear is needed for hurricanes.

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Example: This diagram shows how strong upper-level winds, known as wind shear, can tilt and disrupt the vertical structure of a hurricane, weakening its power.

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Prevailing Winds Noun

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[pri-vey-ling windz]

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Prevailing Winds

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Winds that blow predominantly from a single direction over a specific area, which steer the path of a hurricane.

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Example: This diagram shows Earth's main prevailing winds, like the Trade Winds and Westerlies. These large-scale wind patterns steer hurricanes across the ocean.

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Trade Winds Noun

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[treyd windz]

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Trade Winds

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Prevailing easterly winds near the equator that typically steer hurricanes westward through the tropics, influencing their initial path.

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Example: This diagram shows that Trade Winds are surface winds that blow from the subtropics (around 30° latitude) towards the equator in both hemispheres.

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Westerlies Noun

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[wes-ter-leez]

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Westerlies

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Prevailing winds from the west in the middle latitudes that can cause hurricanes to change direction toward the north.

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Example: This diagram shows the Earth's main wind belts, including the Prevailing Westerlies in the mid-latitudes, which blow from west to east and can steer hurricanes.