Why in News?
Hurricane Lala caused flash floods and mudslides in Hawaii after passing close to the Big Island, washing away more than 100 homes and leaving over 200,000 households without power.
The storm has since weakened into a tropical storm, but warnings remain in place across Hawaii.
About Tropical Cyclones
A tropical cyclone is a warm-core low-pressure system that develops over tropical or subtropical waters and has an organised circulation. Hurricanes and typhoons are different regional names for tropical cyclones.
Tropical cyclones generally require:
- Warm ocean water of at least 27°C.
- Moist air in the middle levels of the atmosphere.
- A pre-existing near-surface disturbance.
- Low vertical wind shear.
- Sufficient distance from the equator for the Coriolis force to develop.