3 Why do these cyclones move from east to west? As tropical cyclones (and hurricanes) move westward, they tend to get caught in mid-latitude westerlies and move north, then northeast or east. (This is why hurricanes hit the east coast of the United States.) Mid Latitude Cyclones are the main cause for most of the damaging winds here in the Pacific NW. Almost all tropical cyclones form over regions more than 5 degrees of latitude away from the Equator and very few occur near the Equator. "Hurricanes almost always form over ocean water warmer than about 80 degrees F. in a belt of generally east-to-west flow called the trade winds. In the Atlantic Ocean, this is due to a large area of high pressure near the Azores Islands and another near Bermuda. To explain why this happens, we need to first understand which forces in the atmosphere are critical to the formation of tropical cyclones. Why do tropical cyclones move west? Often times tropical cyclones (tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes) travel from east to west. Midlatitude cyclones are the cause of most of the stormy weather in the United States, especially during the winter season. The boundaries between these fast-moving belts are incredibly active storm regions. Tropical cyclone - Tropical cyclone - Location and patterns of tropical cyclones: Tropical oceans spawn approximately 80 tropical storms annually, and about two-thirds are severe (category 1 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale of intensity). Tropical cyclones forming between 5 and 30 degrees North latitude typically move toward the west. What happens to cyclones when they travel further away from the equator? Tropical cyclones move towards the west because of the easterly winds near the equator. Weather systems can really move in any direction. Recommended on Chicago Tribune … Almost 90 percent of these storms form within 20° north or south of the Equator. Together, these high pressure areas basically govern the movement of Atlantic hurricanes. When cyclones travel further away form the equator, their path may start to curve to the east as they get caught in the mid-latitude westerlies. But in the Pacific, off the West Coast of the U.S., storms spin east to Asia where they form tropical cyclones. Major Hurricane: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 111 mph (96 knots) or higher, corresponding to a Category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. 4 Why do tropical cyclones weaken as they move over Madagascar. 2 Explain the point of origin of both hurricanes and tropical cyclones on the map. Tropical cyclones across the globe, except Atlantic hurricanes, are moving closer to land in recent decades, a new study found.Tropical cyclones generally have been moving … Actually, tropical cyclones (hurricanes for example) tend to move westward even in the tropics, although there are quite a few exceptions. 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