In the torrential downpour caused by Cyclone Phailin, a young woman dashingly seeks refuge in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh's southern region, on October 12, 2013.
Unleashed Fury: India's East Coast Braces for Cyclone Phailin's Wrath
The merciless cyclone, named Phailin (Thai for "sapphire"), ripped through India's east coast this past Saturday, claiming over a dozen lives and forcing over half a million to leave their homes in vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas. M. Shashidhar Reddy, vice chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, reported that this was one of the largest evacuations ever carried out in India, with the primary focus on minimizing casualties.
Cyclone Phailin is the strongest storm to strike India since Cyclone Odisha hit the same region back in 1999, resulting in the deaths of approximately 10,000 people. At its peak, Phailin's winds reached a staggering 160 miles per hour (257 kilometers per hour). By Sunday, the once fierce winds had diminished to 80 miles per hour (129 kilometers per hour), while the cyclone continued to weaken as it ventured further inland.
If you've yet to experience life in Asia, you may wonder about the essence of surviving a typhoon. However, if you've battled a hurricane or cyclone, you already know the answer. That's because hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are essentially the same Type-A personalities in the weather world. Scientists merely give them different names depending on their geographical playground.
In the Atlantic and northern Pacific, they're christened "hurricanes," paying respect to the Caribbean god of evil, Hurricane. The same mischievous storms are called "typhoons" when they tease the northwestern Pacific. In the southeastern Indian Ocean and southwestern Pacific, they're royally known as "severe tropical cyclones." And in the northern Indian Ocean, they're addressed as "severe cyclonic storms," while in the southwestern Indian Ocean, they simply go by "tropical cyclones."
To join the hurricane, typhoon, or cyclone club, a storm must demonstrate wind speeds of at least 74 miles per hour (119 kilometers per hour). If a hurricane climbs to 111 miles per hour (179 kilometers per hour), it's promoted to an "intense hurricane." A typhoon that hits 150 miles per hour (241 kilometers per hour), as Usagi did, becomes a "supertyphoon."
Seasonal Shenanigans
While the Atlantic hurricane season spans from June 1 to November 30, typhoons and cyclones have their own peculiar party seasons. The northeastern Pacific season runs from May 15 to November 30. In the northwestern Pacific, typhoons appear most frequently from late June to December. And the northern Indian Ocean welcomes cyclones from April to December.
No matter what label you slap on them, these tempestuous storms pack a punch and are capable of causing quite the ruckus.
According to data from NOAA's National Hurricane Center, the average hurricane eye (the calm center with the lowest pressure and highest temperature) stretches 30 miles (48 kilometers) across, with some reaching as wide as 120 miles (200 kilometers). The fiercest storms, classified as Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, boast sustained winds that surpass 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour).
Powered by satellites and computer models, these monstrous storms can usually be predicted several days in advance and are relatively easy to track. However, predicting the path that a hurricane, typhoon, or cyclone will take once it has formed can still be tricky, as demonstrated by Hurricane Sandy's recent antics.
Global Warming Exposed
In the academia sphere, scientists have discussed the impact of human-induced global warming on hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones (collectively known as tropical cyclones or TCs). While global warming causes the oceans to heat, fueling stronger hurricane winds, there remains no scientific consensus on whether climate change directly influences the number or frequency of tropical cyclones.
Warmer atmospheric temperatures have led to increased wind speeds in TCs, as the heat from these warmer waters generates more moisture, which can lead to more intense storms[1][3]. Additionally, scientists have observed the rapid intensification of TCs, posing challenges for storm forecasts and warnings[4].
A warmer atmosphere also holds more water vapor, resulting in heavier rainfall during TCs. Future projections indicate that the average TC rain rates will likely increase with continued global warming[2].
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1. The impact of human-induced global warming on the climate and environment has sparked scientific discussion regarding hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones (tropical cyclones or TCs).2. As a result of global warming, warmer atmospheric temperatures lead to increased wind speeds in tropical cyclones, generating more moisture that can fuel more intense storms.3. Scientists have also observed the rapid intensification of TCs, presenting challenges for storm forecasts and warnings, as well as heavier rainfall during TCs due to a warmer atmosphere holding more water vapor.4. Future predictions suggest that the average tropical cyclone rain rates will likely increase with the continuation of global warming, potentially leading to increased flooding and destruction in coastal and low-lying areas.
