1. Tropical cyclones are like giant engines that use warm moist air as fuel.
2. The warm moist air rises upward from near the surface.
3. The warm air rises causing an area of lower air pressure below.
4. Air from surrounding areas of high air pressure pushes into the low pressure area.
5. Then this “new” air becomes warm and rises too.
6. As the warm air continues to rise, the surrounding air swirls – into take its place and the water from the sea surface also comes up with the air.
7. As the warmed moist air rises and cools off, the water in the air forms clouds.
8. The whole system of clouds and winds spins and grows, fed by the ocean’s heat and water evaporating from the surface. See the figure.
9. These kinds of satellite images help us to predict the path of the cyclones to some extent.
