Portal:Tropical cyclones

The Tropical Cyclones Portal

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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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Hurricane Lane at peak intensity southeast of Hawaii on August 22

Hurricane Lane was a powerful tropical cyclone that brought torrential rainfall and strong winds to Hawaii during late August 2018. The storm was the wettest on record in Hawaii, with peak rainfall accumulations of 58 inches (1,473 mm) along the eastern slopes of Mauna Kea. The twelfth named storm, sixth hurricane, fourth major hurricane, and the first of three Category 5 hurricanes of the record-breaking 2018 Pacific hurricane season, Lane originated from an area of low pressure that formed well southwest of Mexico on August 13. Tracking west through a region of favorable atmospheric and oceanic conditions, the system steadily intensified over the following days. It reached an initial peak as a Category 4 hurricane on August 18. Temporarily inhibited by more hostile conditions, the hurricane weakened slightly before regaining strength and reaching Category 5 status on August 22 to the south of Hawaii. Lane peaked with winds of 160 mph (255 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 926 mbar (hPa; 27.34 inHg). Thereafter, the hurricane turned north and slowed. During this period, torrential rains battered much of the Hawaiian Islands. Unfavorable conditions again affected the hurricane, and it degraded to a tropical depression by August 28 before dissipating the following day.

Lane prompted the issuance of hurricane watches and warnings for every island in Hawaii. From August 22 to 26, Lane brought heavy rain to much of the Hawaiian Windward Islands, which caused flash flooding and mudslides. Effects were most significant in and around Hilo where multiple neighborhoods were flooded. Across the Big Island, 159 structures were damaged or destroyed. Strong winds downed trees and power lines on Maui, and brush fires ignited on both Maui and Oahu. One fatality occurred on Kauai. Landslides and flooding damaged roads statewide; repairs concluded in April 2019. Total economic losses from the hurricane exceeded $250 million. On September 27, 2018, President Donald Trump declared much of Hawaii a disaster area; the Federal Emergency Management Agency ultimately provided about $10 million in aid. (Full article...)

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Track of Cyclone Freddy, according to the Saffir-Simpson scale

Cyclone Freddy was the longest-lived tropical cyclone, lasting five weeks and three days, surpassing the previous record holder, 1994's Hurricane John. It also had the highest accumulated cyclone energy, a metric used to measure tropical cyclone activity, ever recorded worldwide. It also featured a record seven separate rounds of rapid intensification during February and March 2023.

Freddy originated from a tropical low south of the Indonesian archipelago early on 4 February. Deep convection soon developed, and the system intensified Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale on 6 February. Located just within Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre Melbourne's area of responsibility, the storm was named Freddy—the third named storm of the 2022–23 Australian region cyclone season—by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. As it moved westward across the Indian Ocean, Freddy quickly intensified and became a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone before it moved into the area of responsibility of Météo-France La Réunion. As the second very intense tropical cyclone of the 2022–23 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season. Freddy peaked with 10-minute sustained winds of 230 km/h (145 mph) and a central barometric pressure of 927 hPa (27.37 inHg). It quickly strengthened, reaching 1-minute sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph), making it a Category 5-equivalent intensity on the Saffir–Simpson scale. (Full article...)

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This false-color satellite image of Hurricane Wilma was taken at 13:15 UTC on October 19, 2005, just hours after Wilma had intensified to become the most powerful Atlantic hurricane ever observed with a pressure of 882 mbar. In this picture, Wilma has a 2 nautical mile wide eye, the smallest on record.

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The 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season was a near average tropical cyclone season. It officially started on 1 November 2008, and officially ended on 30 April 2009. This season was also the first time that the BoM implemented a "tropical cyclone year." The regional tropical cyclone operational plan defines a "tropical cyclone year" separately from a "tropical cyclone season"; the "tropical cyclone year" began on 1 July 2008 and ended on 30 June 2009.

The scope of the Australian region is limited to all areas south of the equator, east of 90°E and west of 160°E. This area includes Australia, Papua New Guinea, western parts of the Solomon Islands, East Timor and southern parts of Indonesia. (Full article...)

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Currently active tropical cyclones

Italicized basins are unofficial.

North Atlantic (2025): No active systems

East and Central Pacific (2025): No active systems

West Pacific (2025): Tropical Depression 31W

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: 09:06, 1 November 2025 (UTC)

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Tropical cyclone anniversaries

October 31

1876 - A powerful cyclone struck what is now Bangladesh, killing 200,000 people from storm surge flooding and subsequent famine.
1960 - A cyclone hit what is now Bangladesh, killing 14,174 people.
2012 - Cyclone Nilam made landfall over in South India, killing 75 people in total.
2020 - Typhoon Goni (pictured) made landfall over Bicol Region, Philippines with 10-minute sustained winds of 220 km/h (140 mph). Goni caused about ₱20 billion (US$369 million) in damages.

November 1

1991 - The Perfect Storm – a nor'easter that caused significant coastal damage in the northeastern United States – evolved into a minimal hurricane, but remained unnamed to reduce confusion. The system caused 12 deaths and US$200 million in damage.
1995 - Typhoon Angela (pictured) moved through the Philippines with estimated 1-minute sustained winds of 285 km/h (180 mph) with a pressure of 910 hPa. Angela killed 936 people in total and causing about $315 million in damages.
2025 - The 2025–26 Australian region and South Pacific cyclone seasons officially begins.

November 2

1997 - Tropical Storm Linda (pictured) made landfall on southern Vietnam and later moved across the Malay Peninsula, killing 3,123 people.

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Did you know…

…that the Australian region have three distinct lists of names for tropical storms, each one of them being administered by agencies in Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, respectively?
…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?

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The following are images from various tropical cyclone-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Chart with concurrent information for Hurricane Arlene and Tropical Storm Bret logged and plotted (from Tropical cyclone preparedness)
Image 2An example of a chart for Matthew showing its five-day forecast track (from Tropical cyclone preparedness)
Image 3Hurricane Isabel (2003)'s effect on the North Carolina Outer Banks (from Effects of tropical cyclones)
Image 4The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Gulfport, Mississippi. (from Tropical cyclone preparedness)
Image 5Hurricane response involves working in hazardous conditions, including contamination and electrocution hazards from floodwater.
Image 6A fictitious synoptic chart of an extratropical cyclone affecting the UK and Ireland. The blue arrows between isobars indicate the direction of the wind, while the "L" symbol denotes the centre of the "low". Note the occluded, cold and warm frontal boundaries. (from Cyclone)
Image 7Effects in Buncombe County, North Carolina after Hurricane Helene passed through the area in September 2024. (from Effects of tropical cyclones)
Image 8Subtropical Storm Alex in the north Atlantic Ocean in January 2016 (from Cyclone)
Image 9Aerial image of destroyed houses in Tacloban, following Typhoon Haiyan (from Effects of tropical cyclones)
Image 10Broken concrete utility pole in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017, which ranks fourth in costliest US tropical cyclones. (from Effects of tropical cyclones)
Image 11Personnel and equipment from the National Guard of the United States en route to Hurricane Florence response efforts in 2018
Image 12Tropical cyclones form when the energy released by the condensation of moisture in rising air causes a positive feedback loop over warm ocean waters. (from Cyclone)
Image 13Flooding in Port Arthur, Texas caused by Hurricane Harvey. Harvey was the wettest and second-costliest tropical cyclone in United States history. (from Effects of tropical cyclones)
Image 14The initial extratropical low-pressure area forms at the location of the red dot on the image. It is usually perpendicular (at a right angle to) the leaf-like cloud formation seen on satellite during the early stage of cyclogenesis. The location of the axis of the upper level jet stream is in light blue. (from Cyclone)
Image 15Hurricane Florence viewed from the International Space Station (from Cyclone)
Image 16Percentages of hurricane deaths in the United States from 1970 to 1999. (from Effects of tropical cyclones)
Image 17An extratropical cyclone near Iceland (from Cyclone)
Image 18The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Gulfport, Mississippi. Katrina was the costliest tropical cyclone in United States history. (from Effects of tropical cyclones)
Image 19Cyclone on Mars, imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope (from Cyclone)
Image 20Comparison between extratropical and tropical cyclones on surface analysis (from Cyclone)
Image 21Radar image of Hurricane Erika making landfall over Northeastern Mexico (from Tropical cyclone observation)
Image 22All but the most expensive bottles of water were sold out at this Publix supermarket before Hurricane Irma; in the week preceding the storm, water sold out soon after shipments arrived (from Tropical cyclone preparedness)
Image 23The dangerous semicircle is the upper-right corner, with the arrow marking the direction of motion of a Northern Hemisphere storm. Note that typhoons, etc. are asymmetrical, and semicircle is a convenient misnomer. (from Effects of tropical cyclones)
Image 24Surface weather map of the 1935 Labor Day hurricane moving up the west coast of Florida (from Tropical cyclone observation)
Image 25A polar low over the Sea of Japan in December 2009 (from Cyclone)
Image 26The number of $1 billion Atlantic hurricanes almost doubled from the 1980s to the 2010s, and inflation-adjusted costs have increased more than elevenfold. The increases have been attributed to climate change and to greater numbers of people moving to coastal areas. (from Effects of tropical cyclones)

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This is a featured list, which represents some of the best list articles on English Wikipedia.

The 1972 Atlantic hurricane season was a cycle of the annual tropical cyclone season in the Atlantic Ocean in the Northern Hemisphere. It was a significantly below average season, having only four fully tropical named storms, the fewest since 1930. It was one of only five Atlantic hurricane seasons since 1944 to have no major hurricanes, the others being 1968, 1986, 1994, and 2013. The season officially began on June 1, 1972 and ended on November 30, 1972. These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most tropical systems form. However, storm formation is possible at any time of the year, as demonstrated in 1972 by the formation of Subtropical Storm Alpha on May 23. The season's final storm, Subtropical Storm Delta, dissipated on November 7.

The season produced nineteen tropical or subtropical cyclones, of which seven intensified into tropical or subtropical storms; three became hurricanes, of which only but only one, Betty, had sustained winds greater than minimum hurricane force. Despite its relative inactivity, the 1972 season resulted in one of the worst natural disasters in American history, Hurricane Agnes. Agnes was a weak but large storm that initially made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving up the eastern United States. The hurricane killed 122 people and caused $2.1 billion (1972 USD) in damage, mostly due to flooding in Pennsylvania and New York. (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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