Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Climatology | Impacts | Extremes| TCs affecting WA towns | Forecast Accuracy
Frequently Asked Questions | Annual summaries

Definitions | Characteristics and Formation | Climatology | Extremes | Forecasting | More Information

Definitions

1. What is a tropical cyclone?

2. What is the tropical cyclones intensity scale? How is this different from the USA intensity scale?

3. How is a severe tropical cyclone different from a non-severe cyclone?

4. What is the difference between Australian tropical cyclones and cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes in other parts of the world?

5. How are tropical cyclones different from tornadoes?

6. How are tropical cyclones different to mid-latitude cyclones?

7. What is storm surge?

8. What is the difference between a storm surge and storm tide? What about tsunamis?

9. What do the terms damaging winds, destructive winds and very destructive winds mean?

10. What does 'maximum sustained winds' mean? How does it relate to wind gusts in tropical cyclones?

11. How does the amount of damage caused by a cyclone increase as the wind speed increases?

12. Why and how are cyclone names chosen?

13. When did the naming of cyclones begin?

Characteristics and Formation

1. Why do tropical cyclones form?

2. How do tropical cyclones form?

3. What is the life-cycle of a tropical cyclone?

4. How long do tropical cyclones last?

5. What is the eye and eye wall?

6. How big are tropical cyclones?

7. What happens to cyclones as they move further south, say down the west coast?

Climatology

1. When is the cyclone season?

2. How many cyclones occur each year?

3. What is the most cyclone-prone region in Australia?

4. Do cyclones affect Perth? What about other towns?

5. What determines the movement of tropical cyclones?

6. Are we getting stronger and more frequent tropical cyclones in the last several years? What about climate change?

Tropical Cyclone Extremes

1. What is the highest wind speed recorded in a tropical cyclone?

2. What is the highest rainfall associated with a tropical cyclone?

3. Which cyclone has produced the largest storm surge?

4. What are the highest waves associated with a tropical cyclone?

5. What is the lowest pressure ever recorded in a tropical cyclone?

6. Which cyclones have caused the most deaths?

7. Which cyclones have caused the most damage?

Tropical Cyclone Forecasting

1. Who is responsible for issuing tropical cyclone warnings?

2. How accurate are cyclone warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology?

3. What types of warning products are issued by the Bureau of Meteorology?

4. How can I access warnings?

5. What should I do when a cyclone warning is issued?

More Information

For more information on tropical cyclones try the FAQ page from the Hurricane Research Division of the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (USA).

For further inquiries about tropical cyclones in Western Australia contact the WA Severe Weather Section of the Bureau of Meteorology by email sevwx_wa@bom.gov.au or by phone (office hours) 08 9263 2222.