Cyclones and floods

CYCLONES AND FLOODS

CYCLONE:

1. A cyclone begins when air heated by the sun rises very swiftly which creates areas of very low pressure.
2. As the warm air rises, it becomes loaded with moisture and condenses into clouds.
3. Cool air moves in quickly to fill the void but because of the constant rotation of the Earth, the air is bent inwards and then spirals upwards with great force.
4. At the center of the storm is a calm, cloudless area called the 'eye' where there is no rain and winds are light.
5. The cyclone is sustained by a steady flow of moist air.
6. Winds around the 'eye' reach speeds upto 200 kmph and a fully developed cyclone pumps two million tonnes of air per second.
7. Formation of a cyclone depends on conditions mostly found in the tropical convergence zone (ocean surface temperature > 26C, humid unstable atmosphere.