WW2010
University of Illinois

WW2010
 
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Online Guides
 
  introduction
 
> meteorology
 
  remote sensing
 
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Meteorology
 
  introduction
 
  air masses, fronts
 
  clouds, precipitation
 
  el nino
 
  forces, winds
 
> hurricanes
 
  hydrologic cycle
 
  light, optics
 
  midlatitude cyclones
 
  severe storms
 
  weather forecasting

Hurricanes
 
  introduction
 
  growth processes
 
> development stages
 
  movement
 
  public awareness
 
  public action
 
  damage
 
  names
 
  global activity
 
  el nino

Development Stages
 
> stages
 
  tropical depression
 
  tropical storm
 
  hurricanes

User Interface
 
  graphics
> text

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Stages of Development
from tropical depression to hurricane

Hurricanes evolve through a life cycle of stages from birth to death. A tropical disturbance in time can grow to a more intense stage by attaining a specified sustained wind speed. The progression of tropical disturbances can be seen in the three images below.

Tropical Depression Tropical Storm Hurricane

Hurricanes can often live for a long period of time -- as much as two to three weeks. They may initiate as a cluster of thunderstorms over the tropical ocean waters. Once a disturbance has become a tropical depression, the amount of time it takes to achieve the next stage, tropical storm, can take as little as half a day to as much as a couple of days. It may not happen at all. The same may occur for the amount of time a tropical storm needs to intensify into a hurricane. Atmospheric and oceanic conditions play major roles in determining these events.

Below, in this satellite image from 1995, we can see different tropical disturbances in each stage are evident. At the far left, Tropical storm Jerry is over Florida, while Hurricanes Iris and Humberto are further east, amongst a couple of tropical depressions.

[Image: (46K)]
Image by: GOES Project



Growth Processes
Terms for using data resources. CD-ROM available.
Credits and Acknowledgments for WW2010.
Department of Atmospheric Sciences (DAS) at
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

tropical depression