Section 1. FACTORS AFFECTING TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION

SECTION 1. FACTORS AFFECTING TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION

There are two primary influences on TC formation: internal and environmental influences. The consensus is that these two influences are equal in importance during the formative stage of a tropical disturbance. There is a requirement for some type of mechanism which will enhance the low-level convergence and increase the organization associated with a developing tropical disturbance or convective cloud cluster. This enhancement is usually attributed to an external influence, but as the disturbance becomes more organized and self-sufficient, the importance of the environment in maintaining the disturbance's structure lessens, but still has a large influence.

Since TCs have been observed to develop from the inner core outward and also to decay from the inner core outward, it is important to understand the internal processes associated with TC development. For brevity, only those factors which pertain to initial formation will be mentioned here.

1.1 Overview of Tropical Cyclone Formation

Preexisting low-level disturbances and the associated convective cloud clusters occur quite frequently over tropical oceans. The latent heat released by these convective cloud clusters warms the upper-troposphere (500 - 200 hPa) during the initial development stages. A warm core develops resulting in increased upper level height fields and increased divergence aloft, which lowers the surface pressure. The atmosphere responds to the lower pressure with increased convergence in the low-levels, which enhances the convection. Additionally, due to the earth's rotation, the converging air begins to rotate cyclonically and a tropical disturbance or depression is formed. Whether or not this disturbance or depression continues to develop is dependent on the surrounding environment's ability to sustain favorable conditions in the vertical column.

Section 1.2

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