CYCLONE MICHAUNG

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TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a cyclonic storm, Cyclone Michaung, over the southwest Bay of Bengal.

EXPLANATION:

• It is likely to make landfall in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in coming days.
• As a result, the government agency has issued an ‘orange’ alert over Tamil Nadu, as well as coastal and interior Andhra Pradesh for two days.
• It is essential for the residents of these areas to take necessary precautions and stay updated with the latest information and alerts from the relevant authorities.
• Cyclone Michaung is the fourth tropical cyclone of the year over the Bay of Bengal.

What is a Cyclone?

• A cyclone is a large-scale system of air that rotates around the center of a low-pressure area.
• It is usually accompanied by violent storms and bad weather.
• According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a cyclone is characterized by inward spiralling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Types of Cyclones

• The NDMA classifies cyclones broadly into two categories:
  • extratropical cyclones
  • tropical cyclones

Extratropical Cyclones

• Also known as mid-latitude cyclones, extratropical cyclones occur outside the tropics and have cold air at their core.
• They derive their energy from the release of potential energy when cold and warm air masses interact.
• These cyclones always have one or more fronts connected to them, which are the boundary between two kinds of air masses.

Tropical Cyclones

• Tropical cyclones are the most devastating storms on earth and develop in the regions between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer.
• They develop when thunderstorm activity starts building close to the center of circulation, and the strongest winds and rain are no longer in a band far from the center.
• Tropical cyclones have different names depending on their location and strength.
• For instance, they are known as hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the North Atlantic Ocean, and the eastern and central North Pacific Ocean. In the western North Pacific, they are called typhoons.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE REFER TO THE DNA ARTICLE OF 29^TH NOVEMBER 2023.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/cyclone-michaung-tropical-types-9050347/