Hurricane Force

Tropical cyclones remain nature's fiercest storms

By David Biello | September 5, 2006

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Article: Hurricane Force » September 5, 2006

Tropical Cyclone Catarina was the first such storm ever observed in the South Atlantic. [Link to this slide]
NASA

Tropical cyclones form when disturbances encounter high humidity, warm seas and light winds in the upper atmosphere. [Link to this slide]
ROBERT SIMMONS, NASA GSFC

This cross-section shows the swirling winds that power the storm as well as its rain bands. [Link to this slide]
NOAA

Such bands release enormous amounts of rain, fueling the destructive power of the storm, in this case Isidore. [Link to this slide]
NOAA

Satellite imagery reveals the strong rains unleashed by Hurricane Irene in 2005. [Link to this slide]
HAL PIERCE/NASA

This cross-section reveals the powerful winds at work within these storms, including the heat chimney, or eye, in the center. [Link to this slide]
ROBERT SIMMONS, NASA GSFC

Hurricane Andrew pounded Florida in 1992 with strong winds and pelting rain. [Link to this slide]
NOAA

Tropical cyclones vary widely in size and strength as shown here by the smallest and largest as compared to the continental U.S. [Link to this slide]
NOAA

Tropical cyclones are not rare events--and may even be increasing in frequency. This image tracks all such storms between 1985 and 2005. [Link to this slide]

Three tropical cyclones form over the Pacific this summer. Saomai went on to devastate the Chinese coast. [Link to this slide]
JEFF SCHMALTZ/MODIS RAPID RESPONSE TEAM/GSFC

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