Portal:Tropical cyclones
The Tropical Cyclones Portal

A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center, a closed low-level circulation and a spiral arrangement of numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rainfall. Tropical cyclones feed on the heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor contained in the moist air. They are fueled by a different heat mechanism than other cyclonic windstorms such as Nor'easters, European windstorms and polar lows, leading to their classification as "warm core" storm systems. Most tropical cyclones originate in the doldrums, approximately ten degrees from the Equator.
The term "tropical" refers to both the geographic origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively in tropical regions of the globe, as well as to their formation in maritime tropical air masses. The term "cyclone" refers to such storms' cyclonic nature, with anticlockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere. Depending on its location and intensity, a tropical cyclone may be referred to by names such as "hurricane", "typhoon", "tropical storm", "cyclonic storm", "tropical depression" or simply "cyclone".
Types of cyclone: 1. A "Typhoon" is a tropical cyclone located in the North-west Pacific Ocean which has the most cyclonic activity and storms occur year-round. 2. A "Hurricane" is also a tropical cyclone located at the North Atlantic Ocean or North-east Pacific Ocean which have an average storm activity and storms typically form between May 15 and November 30. 3. A "Cyclone" is a tropical cyclone that occurs in the South Pacific and Indian Oceans.
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Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa was the second Category 5 severe tropical cyclone in 2020 after Harold in the 2019–20 South Pacific cyclone season. Yasa was the second tropical disturbance, as well as the first tropical cyclone and severe tropical cyclone of the 2020–21 South Pacific cyclone season. Yasa was first noted as an area of low pressure to the north of Port Vila in Vanuatu during December 10. Over the next few days, the system gradually developed further as it absorbed Tropical Depression 01F, before it was classified as a tropical cyclone and named Yasa by the Fiji Meteorological Service on December 13.
The system gradually moved through the South Pacific Ocean, going through a small, slow loop whilst rapidly intensifying. In about a day, it became a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale and a few hours later, a Category 5-equivalent cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with 1-minute sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph) and a minimum pressure of 917 hPa (27.1 inHg). This made Yasa the earliest Category 5 tropical cyclone on both the Australian and Saffir-Simpson scales in the South Pacific basin since reliable records began, beating the old record by Zoe in 2002–03. (Full article...)
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The effects of Hurricane Isabel in North Carolina were widespread, with the heaviest damage in Dare County. The hurricane made landfall in the Outer Banks of North Carolina on September 18, 2003. There, storm surge flooding and strong winds damaged thousands of houses. The storm surge produced a 2,000 feet (610 m) wide inlet on Hatteras Island, isolating Hatteras by road for two months. Several locations along North Carolina Highway 12 were partially washed out or covered with debris. Hurricane Isabel produced hurricane-force wind gusts across eastern North Carolina, knocking down trees and power lines. About 700,000 residents lost power due to the storm, although most outages were restored within a few days. The hurricane killed three people in the state – two due to falling trees, and the other a utility worker attempting to restore electricity. Damage in the state totaled $450 million (2003 USD, $769 million 2025 USD).
The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch, and later warning, for the state's coastline in advance of the hurricane's landfall. Local officials issued evacuation orders for 18 counties, along with various flood warnings. In the aftermath of the hurricane, then-President George W. Bush declared a state of emergency for 26 counties in the state, which allocated federal resources to the state. Utility crews from nearby states helped restore power. The United States Geological Survey dredged sand to restore the breach on Hatteras Island, with traffic restored about two months after the hurricane. (Full article...)
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The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, in terms of the number of systems. It featured a total of 31 tropical and subtropical cyclones, with all but one cyclone becoming a named storm. Of the 30 named storms, 14 developed into hurricanes, and a record-tying seven further intensified into major hurricanes. It was the second and final season to use the Greek letter storm naming system, the first being 2005, the previous record. Of the 30 named storms, 11 of them made landfall in the contiguous United States, breaking the record of nine set in 1916. During the season, 27 tropical storms established a new record for earliest formation date by storm number. This season also featured a record ten tropical cyclones that underwent rapid intensification, tying it with 1995, as well as tying the record for most Category 4 hurricanes in a singular season in the Atlantic Basin. This unprecedented activity was fueled by a La Niña that developed in the summer months of 2020, continuing a stretch of above-average seasonal activity that began in 2016. Despite the record-high activity, this was the first season since 2015 in which no Category 5 hurricanes formed.
The season officially started on June 1 and officially ended on November 30. However, tropical cyclogenesis is possible at any time of the year, as demonstrated by the early formation of Tropical Storms Arthur and Bertha, on May 16 and 27, respectively. This was the sixth consecutive year with a pre-season system and the second of these seasons to have two, with the other being 2016. The first hurricane, Hurricane Hanna, made landfall in Texas on July 25. Hurricane Isaias formed on July 31, and made landfall in The Bahamas and North Carolina in early August, both times as a Category 1 hurricane; Isaias caused $4.8 billion in damage overall. In late August, Laura made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane, becoming the strongest tropical cyclone on record in terms of wind speed to make landfall in the state, alongside the 1856 Last Island hurricane and Ida. Laura caused at least $19 billion in damage and 77 deaths. September was the most active month on record in the Atlantic, with ten named storms. Slow-moving Hurricane Sally impacted the United States Gulf Coast, causing severe flooding. The Greek alphabet was used for only the second and final time, starting on September 17 with Subtropical Storm Alpha, which made landfall in Portugal on the following day. (Full article...)
Related portals
Currently active tropical cyclones

Italicized basins are unofficial.
- North Atlantic (2025)
- No active systems
- West Pacific (2025)
- Tropical Depression Co-may (Emong)
- Severe Tropical Storm Krosa
- Tropical Depression
- North Indian Ocean (2025)
- No active systems
- Mediterranean (2025–26)
- No active systems
- South-West Indian Ocean (2025–26)
- No active systems
- Australian region (2025–26)
- No active systems
- South Pacific (2025–26)
- No active systems
- South Atlantic (2025–26)
- No active systems
Last updated: 09:48, 31 July 2025 (UTC)
Tropical cyclone anniversaries

July 30,
- 1978 - Tropical Storm Amelia made landfall in Texas, causing severe flooding that killed 33 people.
- 2011 - Typhoon Muifa (pictured) reaches its maximum intensity as a Category 5 with 10-minute winds of 175 km/h (110 mph).
- 2015 - Cyclone Komen makes landfall over in Bangladesh which worsened the 2015 Myanmar floods.

July 31,
- 1996 - Typhoon Herb hit Taiwan near its peak intensity with 240 km/h (150 mph) winds. Herb caused $5 billion of damage on Taiwan and killed about 500 people.
- 2017 - Typhoon Noru (pictured) briefly reaches Category 5 typhoon intensity. Noru was recognized as the third-longest-lasting tropical cyclone of the Northwest Pacific Ocean on record and marked the latest occurrence of the first typhoon since 1998.

August 1,
- 1982 - Typhoon Bess made landfall on southern Honshu as a minimal typhoon. Rainfall from Bess caused over 1,000 landslides and killed 59 people.
- 1989 - Hurricane Chantal (pictured) makes landfall over in southern Texas at Category 1 intensity, causing $100 million in damages.
Did you know…




- …that the Joint Typhoon Warning Center considers that Typhoon Vera (pictured) of 1986 is actually two distinct systems, formed from two separated low-level circulations?
- …that Cyclone Freddy (track pictured) in 2023 was the longest-lasting tropical cyclone recorded?
- …that the typhoons of 2024—Yinxing, Toraji, Usagi, and Man-yi (pictured)—made history as the first recorded instance since 1951 of four tropical cyclones coexisting in November?
- …that Hurricane Otis (pictured) in 2023 was the first Pacific hurricane to make landfall at Category 5 intensity and surpassed Hurricane Patricia as the strongest landfalling Pacific hurricane on record?
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The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season was an event in the annual tropical cyclone season in the north Atlantic Ocean. It was one of the most active Atlantic hurricane seasons since record keeping began in 1851 as 19 named storms formed. The season officially began on June 1, 2010, and ended on November 30, 2010, dates that conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones develop in the Atlantic basin. The first storm to form was Hurricane Alex, on June 25; and the last to dissipate was Hurricane Tomas, on November 7.
Of the year's 19 named storms, 12 strengthened into hurricanes with five intensifying further into major hurricanes. The two most significant storms of the season, in terms of damage and loss of life, were hurricanes Igor and Tomas. Igor was one of the largest storms by gale diameter on record, and one that attained maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) before striking Newfoundland as a much weaker storm several days later. Tomas was a late-season tropical cyclone that rapidly intensified to reach maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (160 km/h) as it entered the eastern Caribbean Sea. Though the system did not make landfall, it severely affected the Greater Antilles, and impacted the southeastern Bahamas as a tropical storm before quickly moving into the open Atlantic. (Full article...)
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Related WikiProjects
WikiProject Tropical cyclones is the central point of coordination for Wikipedia's coverage of tropical cyclones. Feel free to help!
WikiProject Weather is the main center point of coordination for Wikipedia's coverage of meteorology in general, and the parent project of WikiProject Tropical cyclones. Three other branches of WikiProject Weather in particular share significant overlaps with WikiProject Tropical cyclones:
- The Non-tropical storms task force coordinates most of Wikipedia's coverage on extratropical cyclones, which tropical cyclones often transition into near the end of their lifespan.
- The Floods task force takes on the scope of flooding events all over the world, with rainfall from tropical cyclones a significant factor in many of them.
- WikiProject Severe weather documents the effects of extreme weather such as tornadoes, which landfalling tropical cyclones can produce.
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