Questions 2.5

1. Tropical cyclones are intense low-pressure systems that form over warm oceans.
2. Tropical cyclones usually form over the northern areas of Australia.
3. Western Australia and the Northern Territory
4. 6
5. Hurricanes and Typhoons
6. Tropical cyclones develop in the tropical regions of the world. Heat from the sun causes warm, moist air to rise into the atmosphere. As the air rises, a low pressure system forms and condensation occurs, which releases latent heat causing the air to rise further into the atmosphere. If the air pressure in the upper atmosphere is high, then the rising column of warm air will spiral outwards in the upper atmosphere and air will rush from the surface to replace it, forming a tropical cyclone.
7. The eye of a cyclone is the centre, and is usually calm with a clear sky.
8. When a tropical cyclone moves away from the tropics and into cooler oceans they start to lose energy as the hot air dissipates, and so they are downgraded to tropical storms.