Cyclones
Photo: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons are circular storms with high winds and rains that form over water. They often cause flooding and other damage, and therefore are a threat to travellers, particularly near coastlines in the Southern United States, the Caribbean, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, the Philippines and Queensland, the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia in Australia.
This article covers only the dangers of cyclones for travellers on land. However, cyclones are also a major hazard at sea, as that is where they usually develop; see our article Cruising on small craft for basic advice and consult specialist publications for more detailed advice. Cyclones can also disrupt air travel; chances of being caught in one while flying are almost nil since there are good warning systems, but flights may be cancelled or re-routed.
UnderstandUnlike a tornado which inflicts damage along a narrow path, a cyclone can be hundreds of kilometers wide and cause various forms of damage including wind damage, flooding, and storm surge.
ClassificationThe classification systems in different regions vary, and scientists have proposed several alternatives, but the systems in current use are all similar.
Warning systemsAreas where cyclones are common often have good warning systems; typically they show the approximate intensity and the predicted future track of any incoming storm.
Power outagesCyclones can cause serious power outages as objects are flying and trees are falling, taking down power lines and causing blackouts that may be quite widespread and in some cases can last for several days.
Non-tropical cyclonesWhile tropical cyclones are the most common, there is also a special type of storm called an extratropical cyclone which can happen outside the tropical regions or during the fall and winter months; these can sometimes…
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Cyclones" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons