Severe tropical cyclones (hurricanes,...

🔍 Key Concepts

• Tropical cyclones need warm sea-surface temperatures (usually above about 26°C/79°F) to form and strengthen • Global distribution of warm western boundary currents (like the Gulf Stream, Kuroshio, etc.) that help fuel strong storms • Historical records of where hurricanes/typhoons rarely or never form compared to where they are common

💭 Think About

• Look at each ocean listed and ask: Do strong warm currents and large areas of warm water exist there during the cyclone seasons? • Think about where you often hear about named storms in the news (e.g., Atlantic hurricanes, Pacific typhoons) and which basin you almost never hear about • Which of these basins has relatively cooler surface waters and less favorable wind patterns for cyclone development?

✅ Before You Answer

• For each option, mentally recall if named storms (hurricanes/typhoons) have been historically reported there • Consider whether sea-surface temperature is warm enough over a large area to sustain severe tropical cyclones • Eliminate any basin where you KNOW multiple major storms have occurred in your lifetime or in historical case studies you’ve studied

Severe tropical cyclones (hurricanes, typhoons) occur in all warm-water oceans except the __________.

South Pacific Ocean

North Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

South Atlantic Ocean

🔍 Key Concepts

💭 Think About

✅ Before You Answer