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The science behind cyclones

Tropical storms

Tropical storms are immensely powerful and can travel up to speeds of 65 km/h. Resembling large whirlpools, they are made up of rotating, moist air, with wind speeds that can reach over 120 km/h.

The impacts of climate change on tropical storms

Climate change could lead to more locations being affected by tropical storms. Warmer seas could cause the source areas (the areas where the storms would form) to extend further north and south of the equator.
It's unclear whether climate change will increase or decrease the number of hurricanes, but climate models predict that their intensity may increase. The following factors may play a part in increasing their impact:
warmer ocean surface temperatures and higher sea levels
wind speeds potentially increasing 2-11 percent
rainfall rates during these storms are projected to increase by about 20 percent
In addition, sea level rise is likely to make tropical storms more damaging with increases in coastal flooding and subsequent storm damage along coasts. Low-lying coastal communities where the population density is high and the income level low are most at risk. More people living in coastal communities in the future will mean that more people will be affected.

Rapid heating of Indian Ocean worsening cyclones, say scientists

Last week India was battered by Cyclone Tauktae, an unusually strong cyclone in the Arabian Sea, resulting in widespread disruption. This week, another severe storm, Cyclone Yaas, formed in the Bay of Bengal, leading to more than a million people being evacuated into safe shelters Global heating is accelerating the rate of ocean warming, leading to an increased number of cyclones and rapid intensification of weak storms, with severe repercussions for the country. Cyclones are much more likely to gather intensity over warmer waters. The Arabian Sea, part of the west Indian Ocean, generally has a sea surface temperature below 28C (82F) and recorded just 93 cyclones between 1891 and 2000. By comparison, the warmer Bay of Bengal in the east Indian Ocean, where temperatures are permanently above 28C, recorded 350 cyclones over the same period. India is especially vulnerable as 14% of its 1.3 billion population lives in coastal districts, and the number living in coastal areas below 10 metres elevation is forecast to rise threefold by 2060.
“The trail of destruction left behind by Cyclone Tauktae is a grim reminder of India’s vulnerability to extreme climate events,” said Abinash Mohanty, programme lead at the Indian thinktank Council on Energy, Environment and Water.

Climate change is probably increasing the intensity of tropical cyclones

Warming of the surface ocean from anthropogenic (human-induced) climate change is likely fueling more powerful TCs. The destructive power of individual TCs through flooding is amplified by rising sea level, which very likely has a substantial contribution at the global scale from anthropogenic climate change.
Sources :
The impacts of climate change on tropical storms - Tropical storms - AQA - GCSE Geography Revision - AQA - BBC Bitesize
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Rapid heating of Indian Ocean worsening cyclones, say scientists
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Climate change is probably increasing the intensity of tropical cyclones | NOAA Climate.gov
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