Tropical depression or tropical storm? Tropical weather definitions everyone should know
News of a tropical depression likely forming in the Gulf of Mexico within the next week that has the potential to impact Florida has already been met with calls for residents to “remain vigilant and prepare.”
Whether the tropical disturbance ultimately heads to Florida is still a bit up in the air. While chances favor the tropical disturbance forming over the next seven days, there isn’t much to look at right now, according to meteorologists.
In the meantime, many are wondering how a tropical depression differs from a tropical storm, and the answer is quite simple.
Here are a few tropical weather definitions every Floridian should know.
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What is a tropical wave?
Also known as easterly waves, the National Weather Service defines tropical waves as inverted troughs, elongated areas of relatively low pressure, that move east to west across the tropics.
What is a tropical disturbance?
A tropical disturbance is one of the earliest signs of a potential tropical cyclone. These are tropical weather systems with organized convection, a vertical transport of heat and moisture in the atmosphere, that have slight circulation and persist for 24 hours or longer.
Tropical disturbances are fairly common during hurricane season. Some disturbances may develop into tropical cyclones while others simply fizzle out.
What is a tropical cyclone?
The National Hurricane Center describes tropical cyclones as rotating, organized systems of clouds and thunderstorms that have a closed low-level circulation. Tropical cyclones are further classified as tropical depressions, storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes generally based on maximum sustained surface winds, similar to how hurricanes are categorized.
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What is a tropical depression?
A tropical depression is a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 38 mph or less.
What is a tropical storm?
A tropical depression is a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph.
What is a hurricane?
Hurricanes are tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds of 74 mph or greater. On the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, these are Category 1 and 2 storms.
What are major hurricanes?
Major hurricanes are tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. These are essentially Category 3, 4 or 5 storms.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Tropical depression vs tropical storm: What’s the difference?
