4/26/2020 Evernote shared notebook: Geography

12) Comparison of Tropical Cyclones & Temperate Cyclones | PMF IAS

Friday, July 6 2018, 12:40 AM

Tropical Cyclones and Temperate Cyclones -Comparison

Tropical Cyclone Temperate Cyclone

Origin Thermal Origin Dynamic Origin – Coriolis

Force, Movement of air
masses.

Latitude Confined to 100 – 300 Confined to 350 – 650 N and S

N and S of equator. of equator. More pronounced in
Northern hemisphere due to
greater temperature contrast.

Frontal Absent The very cyclone formation is

system due to frontogenesis.[Occluded
Front]

Formation They form only on seas Can form both on land as well
with temperature more as seas
than 26-270 C. They
dissipate on reaching
the land.

Season Seasonal: Late Irregular. But few in summers

summers (Aug – Oct) and more in winters.

Size Limited to small area. They cover a larger area.

Typical size: 100 – 500
kms in diameter.
Varies with the strength
of the cyclone.
Typical size: 300 – 2000 kms
in diameter. Varies from region
to region.

Shape Elliptical Inverted ‘V’

https://www.evernote.com/pub/dhatrireddy/geography#st=p&n=0b380924-52e2-4932-8534-88518829a868 1/4
4/26/2020 Evernote shared notebook: Geography

Rainfall Heavy but does not last In a temperate cyclone, rainfall

beyond a few hours. If is slow and continues for many
the cyclone stays at a days, sometimes even weeks.
place, the rainfall may
continue for many days.

Wind Much greater (100 – Comparatively low. Typical

Velocity and 250 kmph)(200 – 1200
destruction kmph in upper
troposphere)
Greater destruction due
to winds, storm surges
and torrential rains.
range: 30 – 150 kmph.
Less destruction due to winds
but more destruction due to
flooding.

Isobars Complete circles and Isobars are usually ‘V’ shaped

the pressure gradient is and the pressure gradient is
steep low.

Life time Doesn’t last for more Last for 2-3 weeks.
than a week

Path East – West. Turn North West – East (Westerlies – Jet

at 200 latitude and west Streams). Move away from
equator.
at 300 latitude.
Move away from
equator.

The movement of
Cyclones in Arabian
Sea and Bay of Bengal
is a little different.

Here, these storms are

superimposed upon the
monsoon circulation
of the summer months,
and they move in
northerly direction

https://www.evernote.com/pub/dhatrireddy/geography#st=p&n=0b380924-52e2-4932-8534-88518829a868 2/4
4/26/2020 Evernote shared notebook: Geography

along with the monsoon

currents.

Temperature The temperature at the All the sectors of the cyclone

distribution center is almost equally have different temperatures
distributed.

Calm region The center of a tropical In a temperate cyclone, there is

cyclone is known as the not a single place where winds
eye. The wind is calm and rains are inactive.
at the center with no
rainfall.

Driving force The tropical cyclone The energy of a temperate

derives its energy from cyclone depends on the
the latent heat of densities of air masses.
condensation, and the
difference in densities
of the air masses does
not contribute to the
energy of the cyclone.

Influence of The relationship The temperate cyclones, in

Jet streams between tropical contrast, have a distinct
cyclones and the upper relationship with upper level air
level air-flow is not flow (jet streams, Rossby
very clear. waves etc.)

Clouds The tropical cyclones The temperate cyclones show a

exhibit fewer varieties variety of cloud development at
of clouds – various elevations.

https://www.evernote.com/pub/dhatrireddy/geography#st=p&n=0b380924-52e2-4932-8534-88518829a868 3/4
4/26/2020 Evernote shared notebook: Geography

cumulonimbus,
nimbostratus, etc..

Surface anti- The tropical cyclones The temperate cyclones are

cyclones are not associated with associated with anticyclones
surface anticyclones which precede and succeed a
and they have a greater cyclone. These cyclones are not
destructive capacity. very destructive.

Influence on Both coasts effected. Bring rains to North – West

India But east coast is the hot India. The associated
spot. instability is called ‘Western
Disturbances’.

Titbit: In certain instances, two cyclones move toward each other and
revolve around one another, with the smaller and less intense one moving
more quickly. This phenomenon is called the Fujlwara effect.

Primary References: NCERT Geography, IMD, Encyclopedia

Britannica, Spectrum’s Geography [Amazon and Flipkart] and Savindra
Singh [Amazon and Flipkart]

https://www.evernote.com/pub/dhatrireddy/geography#st=p&n=0b380924-52e2-4932-8534-88518829a868 4/4