Tropical storm Ophelia?
The National Hurricane Center said the low-pressure system is situated about 200 miles south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, with a maximum sustained wind speed of 50 mph. It has also said that if the low-pressure system gains strength enough to become a tropical storm, it will be named ‘Ophelia’. It will be the 16th named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season.
Hurricane Center warns
The Hurricane Center has also warned that dangerous rip currents and storm surges may hit beaches along North Carolina and Virginia. Besides, life-threatening storm surges may strike the beaches along the coastal areas and inland rivers. The Hurricane Center has said that rainfall up to 7 inches is possible across parts of eastern North Carolina and southeast Virginia.
What is a hurricane?
Tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes are all types of tropical cyclones that visit the Atlantic Ocean areas. The low-pressure systems generated over warm tropical seas with a warm core, closed center of circulation and organized thunderstorm activity are called tropical cyclones. It is called a tropical depression when the sustained wind speed is up to 38 mph. It becomes a tropical storm when the wind speed is 39 to 73 mph. When the wind speed goes beyond 74 mph, it is called a hurricane.
FAQs:
Q1. Which areas of the Atlantic Ocean may be swept by a tropical cyclone on Friday?
A1. The National Hurricane Center has said that the tropical storm may begin in North Carolina on Friday morning, spread north on Saturday and sweep large swathes of the East Coast.
Q2. How are tropical storms and hurricanes different?
A2. The low-pressure systems generated over warm tropical seas with a warm core, a closed center of circulation with a wind speed of 39 to 73 mph is called a tropical storm. When the same system strengthens further and gets a wind speed of more than 73 mph, it is called a hurricane.
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