cyclone (redirected from cyclonically)

cy·clone  (skln)

n.

1. Meteorology

a. An atmospheric system characterized by the rapid inward circulation of air masses about a low-pressure center, usually accompanied by stormy, often destructive weather. Cyclones circulate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

b. A violent tropical storm, especially one originating in the southwestern Pacific Ocean or Indian Ocean.

2. A violent rotating windstorm.

3. Any of various devices using centrifugal force to separate materials.

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[From Greek kukln, present participle of kukloun, to rotate, from kuklos, circle; see k^wel-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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cy·clonic (-klnk), cy·cloni·cal adj.

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cyclone

Noun

1. a body of moving air below normal atmospheric pressure, which often brings rain

2. a violent tropical storm [Greek kuklōn a turning around]

cyclonic adj

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cyclone  (skln)

1. A large-scale system of winds that spiral in toward a region of low atmospheric pressure. A cyclone's rotational direction is opposite to that of an anticyclone. In the Northern hemisphere, a cyclone rotates counterclockwise; in the Southern hemisphere, clockwise. Because low-pressure systems generally produce clouds and precipitation, cyclones are often simply referred to as storms. An extratropical cyclone is one that forms outside the tropics at middle or high latitudes. Extratropical cyclones usually have an organized front and migrate eastward with the prevailing westerly winds of those latitudes. A tropical cyclone forms over warm tropical waters and is generally smaller than an extratropical cyclone. Such a system is characterized by a warm, well-defined core and can range in intensity from a tropical depression to a hurricane. Compare anticyclone.

2. A small-scale, violently rotating windstorm, such as a tornado or waterspout. Not in scientific use.

A Closer Look Technically, a cyclone is nothing more than a region of low pressure around which air flows in an inward spiral. In the Northern Hemisphere the air moves counterclockwise around the low-pressure center, and in the Southern Hemisphere the air travels clockwise. Meteorologists also refer to tropical cyclones, which are cyclonic low-pressure systems that develop over warm water. For a tropical cyclone to originate, a large area of ocean must have a surface temperature greater than 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Tropical cyclones are categorized based on the strength of their sustained surface winds. They may begin as a tropical depression, with winds less than 39 miles (63 kilometers) per hour. Tropical storms are identified and tracked once the winds exceed this speed. Severe tropical cyclones, with winds of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour or greater, are better known as hurricanes when they occur in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, or as typhoons when they happen in the Pacific Ocean. Because the word cyclone broadly defines a kind of air flow, cyclones are not confined to our planet. In 1999 the Hubble Space Telescope photographed a cyclone more than 1,610 kilometers (1,000 miles) across in the northern polar regions of Mars.

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cyclone

an atmospheric disturbance characterized by powerful winds spinning in the shape of a vertical cylinder or horizontal disk, accompanied by low pressure at the center. — cyclonic, adj.

See also: Wind

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	cyclone - (meteorology) rapid inward circulation of air masses about a low pressure center; circling counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern meteorology - the earth science dealing with phenomena of the atmosphere (especially weather) atmospheric state, atmosphere - the weather or climate at some place; "the atmosphere was thick with fog" low, depression - an air mass of lower pressure; often brings precipitation; "a low moved in over night bringing sleet and snow" anticyclone - (meteorology) winds spiraling outward from a high pressure center; circling clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern
	2.	cyclone - a violent rotating windstorm hurricane - a severe tropical cyclone usually with heavy rains and winds moving a 73-136 knots (12 on the Beaufort scale) tornado, twister - a localized and violently destructive windstorm occurring over land characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground typhoon - a tropical cyclone occurring in the western Pacific or Indian oceans windstorm - a storm consisting of violent winds

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cyclone

noun typhoon, hurricane, tornado, whirlwind, tempest, twister U.S. (informal) storm

Translations

cyclone [ˈsaɪkləun] n → ciclón m

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cyclone [ˈsaɪkləun] n → cyclone m

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cyclone [ˈsaɪkləun] n → Zyklon m

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cyclone [ˈsaɪkləun] n → ciclone m