In News:Cyclone Dana to hit Odisha, West Bengal: What is a cyclone and what are its types?
1.Compare and contrast the formation processes, characteristics, and impacts of tropical cyclones and extratropical cyclones.
Tropical cyclones and extratropical cyclones are both large-scale air masses that rotate around a low-pressure centre, but they differ significantly in their formation, characteristics, and impacts.
| Aspect | Tropical Cyclones | Extratropical Cyclones |
| Formation Processes | Form over warm ocean waters (≥ 26°C). | At the boundary between cold and warm air masses |
| Require evaporation of water and rising moist air. | Derive energy from temperature contrasts (cold and warm fronts). | |
| Develop in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). | Common in mid-latitude regions, especially in fall and winter. | |
| Characteristics | Well-defined eye with low central pressure (as low as 900 mb). | More elongated structure with warm and cold fronts. |
| Strong winds, often exceeding 100 knots. | Less defined centres; can produce varied weather conditions. | |
| Compact, with diameters ranging from 320 km to over 1,000 km. | Can extend for hundreds of kilometres; influenced by the jet stream. | |
| Generally do not involve frontal systems; they are warm-core systems. | Involve frontal systems; develop along cold and warm fronts. | |
| Originate over warm ocean waters; dissipate over land when moisture supply is cut off. | Can originate over land or sea but are commonly associated with frontal boundaries in mid-latitudes. | |
| Impacts | Severe weather events: heavy rainfall, storm surges, high winds. | Widespread weather changes: precipitation (rain or snow), temperature drops. |
| Significant damage in coastal areas; localised impacts. | Affects multiple regions simultaneously; prolonged adverse weather conditions. |
While both tropical and extratropical cyclones are significant atmospheric phenomena that influence weather patterns, they differ fundamentally in their formation processes, characteristics, and impacts on the environment.
PYQ
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