Tropical Cyclones in Australia

When a disaster such as a hurricane takes place, the first responsibility is of the state’s governor to make a formal request for a state of disaster and receive the necessary assistance and aid to the affected area (The Disaster Hanbook- National Edition, 1998). The President of the United States of America must make a declaration of emergency and major disaster to initiate the effort to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (The Disaster Hanbook- National Edition, 1998). Once a disaster has been declared, the U.S president will send supplementary funds to the state and local efforts to aid the affected population (The Disaster Hanbook- National Edition, 1998). In order for funding to be dispersed to the area in need, the President of the United States must allow this action to take place.

Katrina is what most meteorologists would consider a “textbook tropical cyclone” meaning that it has compact, symmetrical wind fields revolving and whipping around a circular low pressure center (nasa.org). Katrina was a warm core storm that thrived on the warm waters of the tropical Atlantic Ocean. It wasn’t until Katrina stated colliding with other weather systems on its journey west that it began to transition into an “extra-tropical cyclone”

Winds of disaster, waves of multitude, preparations galore, the wait is on to determine the outcome of a hurricane. Being one of the most devastating and feared natural disasters, hurricanes are a brutal and unpredictable force. Never knowing what could happen or what they will do, forewarning and preparation for hurricanes are highly recommended. A hurricane is a form of a tropical cyclone or severe tropical storm that occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Southern Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico (conserve-energy-future.com). The cause of a hurricane is a force of nature, but the effects that follow are to land,

When warm water, moist air, and strong winds collide and create a rotating bundle of thunderstorms create a rotating bundle of thunderstorms and clouds a hurricane is formed. Hurricane send when they lose their source of energy by traveling over land or cold water. Hurricanes occur in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Hurricane season is either from June 1-November 30 or mid-August to mid-September. Hurricanes can last for a few hours to at least 2 weeks depending on its size. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale rates, or categorizes, hurricanes. Hurricane names rotate each year but, if a hurricane is strong enough that name is retired.

This is an area over warm ocean waters where rain clouds are building. A tropical disturbance sometimes grows into a tropical depression. This area of rotating thunderstorms has winds of 62 km per hour (38 mph) or less. A tropical depression becomes a tropical storm if its winds reach 63 km per hour (39 mph). A tropical storm becomes a hurricane if its winds reach 119 km per hour (74 mph). Hurricanes are the most violent storms on Earth. They form near the equator over warm ocean waters. Actually, the term hurricane is used only for the storms Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific

Each disaster response should start at the local or state level, and then depending on the magnitude it may grow to the response level only the federal government can provide. The initial response to an emergency by the state should deal with the emergency needs of the public. The State’s responsibility will be to focus around control of communication procedures; warning of the upcoming emergency if possible, providing public information, any information regarding evacuations and shelter (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1996). Beyond controlling communication, the state will also be responsible to alert and dispatch the required emergency response teams to engage in protection of people and their property, and if needed a request for aid from the Federal Government (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1996).

The floods started at the end of November 2010 and Cyclone Tasha a category 1 cyclone hit on Christmas Eve; they continued through till mid-January 2011. Cyclone Yasi then hit in February soon after the floods causing even more havoc to the already damaged Queensland.

The document even goes so far as to say the local or state governments are in control of managing the disaster incident and the federal government is there to provide backup. This is extremely important first because managing incidents when a state is a police power and these powers have been expressly assigned to the states through the United States Constitution. The second reason that this is crucial is that states are much more likely to be intimately aware of the specific factors effecting a disaster within their borders. The NRF also states that the incident stays in a state or local jurisdiction unless the president declares the disaster a national disaster. The control of managing disaster being awarded to local entities allows for a quicker and more localized response. Thus the people, property, and infrastructure affected can be more effectively aided or repaired. This allows for the cornerstone of a quick response to be

A hurricane is unlike the normal cyclones but is a severe tropical storm or cyclone that typically forms in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, the Eastern Pacific Ocean or the Caribbean Sea. It is usually accompanied by heavy thunderstorms and if in the northern hemisphere, counterclockwise wind circulations near the earth's surface (FEMA, 2013).

Most hurricanes that hit the United States begin in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa, but there is some that start in the Caribbean’s. The hurricanes start off the coast of Africa, in the form of thunderstorms and they are affected by

Hurricanes usually form over ocean areas near the Equator during summer months, since the ocean surface is at its warmest. The heat and moisture from the ocean provides the hurricane energy, and maintains it after its been formed. In this case, Hurricane Sandy travelled up north, growing colossal and relentlessly from the energy. However, if the supply of heat or moisture from the ocean is cut off, it will weaken the strength of the hurricane. Therefore, a hurricane is usually most destructive when it first moves over land. When a hurricane passes over land or cold ocean water, it loses its energy source of evaporating water and slowly dissipates.

Cyclone Tracy had a devastating effect on Darwin. Many, many buildings and houses were completely destroyed. Over 50 people were killed, and hundreds were left injured. Overall, 30 000 people were left homeless, the electricity failed, and there was not much food or fresh water available. Many thought that disease would break out. 

When Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin, they needed a lot of help to get everything under control again. Help was needed to rescue people, rebuild houses, fix services, bring fresh water and food, medical supplies, building materials, and clothing. Organisations that helped provide the supplies include: National Disasters Organisation, Darwin’s Emergency Service, RAAF, Qantas, TAA, Ansett Airways, RAF, RNZAF, US Airforce

Roger A. Pielke Jr. and Roger A. Pielke Sr. in their book Hurricanes: Their Nature and Impacts on Society, state that the hurricane is a member of a phenomena called cyclones, which refers to “any weather system that circulates in a counterclockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in a clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere” (p.15). The word

These shelters were located in schools and were built to withstand category 5 cyclones such as Cyclone Yasi and provided a place of refuge during future cyclones. In total there will be 14 cyclone shelters throughout North Queensland which can resist category 5 tropical cyclones. As well as that, the state government had appointed Major General Mick Slater who led the Flood Recovery Taskforce after Cyclone Yasi hit Queensland. He was chosen to lead and work with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority to rebuild roads, bridges, schools and other infrastructures. Overall, the state government had helped to boost the recovery process and as well prepared North Queensland for future cyclones with the extra nine

← Cyclones in India generally strike the East Coast; some of the Arabian Sea Cyclones strike the west coast of India as well mainly the Gujarat and North Maharashtra coast. Out of the storms that develop in the Bay of Bengal, over 58 percent approach or cross the east coast in October and November.