"Q: Can hurricanes form in the Southern Hemisphere?
A: Hurricanes can, and often do, form in the Southern Hemisphere, where they're called cyclones. The factors that aid in tropical storm development, including warm ocean water and low wind shear, are present in both of the Earth's hemispheres.
Tropical cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere spin in a clockwise direction, which is opposite to hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere. In addition, the Southern Hemisphere typically has about half the number of hurricanes as the Northern Hemisphere each year.
Since the seasons are opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, the hurricane season there lasts through the Northern Hemisphere's colder months -- late October through May. The Southern Hemisphere has three major basins for tropical storm development: the Southwest Indian Ocean, the Australian Region, and the South Pacific Ocean. The storms primarily affect Australia and southeastern Africa.
Tropical storms rarely occur in the South Atlantic because of cooler waters, high wind shear, and the absence of an Intertropical Convergence Zone -- a constant area of low pressure and thunderstorm activity along the Earth's equator. In fact, until two years ago, a hurricane-strength storm had never been never reported in the South Atlantic. Cyclone Catarina became the first recorded South Atlantic hurricane when it formed on March 26, 2004."
2006-09-14 11:35:51
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answer #1
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answered by maegical 4
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In the northern hemisphere, hurricanes (and the same storms by different names in different oceans) always turn counterclockwise because of the Corolis effect. They turn clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
2006-09-14 13:52:10
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answer #2
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answered by Rochester 4
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No, on the southern hemisphere they go they other way. It's called the Coriolis effect that is created by the planet rotating.
2006-09-14 11:35:20
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answer #3
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answered by Chris J 6
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Only in the northern hemisphere.
2006-09-14 12:02:25
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answer #4
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answered by Steve R 6
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In the Northern hemisphere, yes they do.
2006-09-14 11:46:42
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answer #5
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answered by zahbudar 6
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Rather than explain here, go to this site. Excellent examples.
http://hurricanes.noaa.gov/index.html
2006-09-14 14:18:03
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answer #6
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answered by dyke_in_heat 4
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