Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
| Domain | Definition |
Public Administration | Tropical cyclone with winds between 34 and 64 knots; Also generally refers to any tropical cyclonic disturbance. Source: European Union. (references) |
Science | Tropical storms generally form in the eastern portion of tropical oceans and track westward. Hurricanes, typhoons, and willy-willies all start out as weak low pressure areas that form over warm tropical waters (e.g., surface water temperature of at least 80 degrees F). Initially, winds and cloud formations over the warm tropical waters are minimal. Both intensify with time. Formation of tropical storms also requires a significant Coriolis effect to induce proper spin in the wind formation. As the storm begins to organize itself into a coherent pattern, it will experience increased activity and intensity. When a storm develops a clearly recognizable pattern, it is referred to as a tropical depression. When wind speeds reach 35 knots (40.3 mph), it is called a tropical storm and is given a name. When wind speed equals or exceeds 74 mph, the storm is called a hurricane. In the western Pacific, a hurricane is referred to as a typhoon. In waters around Australia it is called a cyclone or willy-willy. Hurricanes intensify when moving over areas of increased water temperatures, and weaken over colder water surfaces. Upper atmosphere wind shear (different wind direction and speeds at different elevations) will frequently prevent or slow intensification of tropical storms by 'spreading out' the storm horizontally and preventing the formation of strong updrafts of warm, humid air. Movement over a land-mass will weaken hurricane winds but will result in large-scale rain that can result in large-scale flooding. When encountering a strong frontal system (such as a polar front) the hurricane will curve and track along the leading edge of the front or become implanted in it. Satellite infrared imagery can identify surface water temperatures that will foster tropical storm development. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Crosswords: TROPICAL STORM |
| English words defined with "TROPICAL STORM": cyclonal, cyclonic, cyclonical. (references) |
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Howie at lunch, even hurricane hunters have to eat. Flying to Tropical Storm Dawn in ESSA research aircraft DC-6 40C. Credit: Flying With NOAA. |  | Satellite view of a tropical storm in the Caribbean area. Credit: Flying With NOAA. |
 | In Tropical Storm Dawn. A view in the storm center. From research aircraft 40C . Credit: Flying With NOAA. |  | Flying to Tropical Storm Dawn. A view of submarine topography on the Bahamas Banks. Credit: Flying With NOAA. |
 | Submarine topography as seen over Florida Gulf Coast while on way to investigate Tropical Storm Ella. Credit: Flying With NOAA. |  | Cumulonimbus seen while on way to Tropical Storm Ella in the western Gulf of Mexico. Credit: Flying With NOAA. |
 | TIROS I image of tropical storm located north of New Zealand. This is the first tropical storm captured by a meteorological satellite camera. Monthly Weather Review, March 1960, p. 85. Credit: NOAA in Space. |  | GOES image of eastern North America. Tropical Storm Diana off the coast of Florida. Credit: NOAA in Space. |
 | GOES view of North America. The center of now Tropical Storm Diana is heading ashore just north of the South Carolina/North Carolina border. The beginnings of Hurricane Norbert are seen southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Short-lived Tropical Storm Edouard is shown at its birth west of the Yucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico. Credit: NOAA in Space. |  | The remains of Hurricane Diana, still a tropical storm, heading offshore and out to sea. Credit: NOAA in Space. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Economic History | Honduras | Subsequently, the U.S. provided $265,000 in disaster assistance after Tropical Storm Michelle inundated the North Coast with floods. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
tropical storm | 189 |
tropical storm allison | 41 |
tropical storm update | 20 |
tropical storm isidore | 7 |
tropical storm information | 3 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "TROPICAL STORM"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | tropisk storm. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | tropische storm. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | trooppinen myrsky. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
French | tempête tropicale. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
German | tropischer Sturm. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | τροπική καταιγίδα. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | trópusi vihar. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | tempesta tropicale. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | opicaltray ormstay tempestade tropical. (various references) tormenta tropical. (various references) tropisk storm. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-i-l-m-o-o-p-r-r-s-t-t" | |
-2 letters: compatriots, corporatism, corporatist. | |
-3 letters: carrottops, compatriot, postatomic, postcoital, proctorial, prostomial. | |
-4 letters: acropolis, apostolic, carrottop, corporals, impactors, motorcars, piclorams, portraits, posttrial, proclaims, prostatic, prostomia, protostar, protracts, spoliator, tricolors, trimotors, troopials. | |
-5 letters: acrotism, airports, apomicts, apricots, atropism, caltrops, capitols, carpools, carports, citators, coalpits, colorism, colorist, comparts, complots, comports, copastor, copilots, corporal, cortisol, crampits, impactor, impostor, isolator. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Crosswords 2. Images: Slideshow 3. Images: Photo Album 4. Quotations: Non-fiction | 5. Expressions: Internet 6. Translations: Modern 7. Anagrams 8. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
