Tropical cyclones and hurricanes are powerful weather systems that can cause significant damage and destruction. These storms typically form in the tropics and move towards higher latitudes, affecting areas such as Gulf of Mexico, and the southeastern United States. However, one peculiar fact about these storms is that no tropical cyclone or hurricane has ever crossed the equator.

The reason for this is the Coriolis effect, a phenomenon that causes fluids, such as air and water, to curve as they move across the Earth’s surface. This effect is caused by the Earth’s rotation and is more prominent at higher latitudes. In the Northern Hemisphere, objects tend to deflect to the right, while in the Southern Hemisphere, they deflect to the left. The Coriolis effect is the reason why hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere rotate counterclockwise, while those in the Southern Hemisphere rotate clockwise.

Tropical cyclones and hurricanes require a certain set of conditions to form, such as warm ocean temperatures, moist air, and low wind shear. These conditions are typically found in the tropics, where the Coriolis effect is not strong enough to cause a significant deflection of the storm’s path. However, as the storm moves towards higher latitudes, the Coriolis effect becomes stronger, causing the storm to curve away from the equator.

Additionally, the Coriolis effect is zero at the equator, which means that there is no deflection of the storm’s path. As a result, any storm that approaches the equator will weaken and eventually dissipate. This is why no tropical cyclone or hurricane has ever crossed the equator.

Image by: Dr. Robert Rohde

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