Anatomy of a cyclone

Anatomy of a cyclone

 "Tropical cyclones are circular, compact storms with a diameter of roughly 320 kilometers (200 miles) and rotating winds around a central region of low pressure. The winds are propelled by this low-pressure core and the Earth's rotation, causing a deflection of wind direction through a phenomenon known as the Coriolis force. As a result, tropical cyclones rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

The wind field of a tropical cyclone can be divided into three areas. The first is an outer ring-shaped region, typically with an outer radius of about 160 kilometers (100 miles) and an inner radius of about 30 to 50 kilometers (20 to 30 miles). In this area, wind speed increases regularly toward the center. The maximum wind speed is reached in the second area, the eyewall, which is usually located 15 to 30 kilometers (10 to 20 miles) from the storm's center. The eyewall surrounds the inner region known as the eye, where wind speed decreases rapidly and the air is often calm. These main structural areas are described in more detail below."