This animation shows the track and intensity of every tropical cyclone recorded in the IBTrACS data set from 1950 to 2018.
Tropical cyclones includes storms that are called tropical storms, hurricanes, and typhoons. Sustained wind speeds are presented according to the Saffir-Simpson scale indicating tropical depression (TD), tropical storm (TS), and hurricane force winds (Cat 1 – 5). The maximum intensity of the wind is reported according to IBTrACS. The distribution and extent of the wind is estimated based on the typical distributions from Wang et al. (QJRMS, 2015). The actual size and extent of any particular storm may have been somewhat larger or smaller than indicated.
Some ocean basins are highly prone to the formation of tropical cyclones, while other ocean basins see few or no such storms. These differences are mostly due to differences in ocean water temperatures and prevailing wind conditions. Cyclone formation is most common in summer months when ocean water is warmer.SHOW LESS
Data visualization ©Dr. Robert Rohde
