ABSTRACT
Tropical cyclones constitute one of the most frightening and dangerous natural phenomena. They form over the open sea at latitudes between 5 and 30° latitude in both hemispheres. The causes of the formation of cyclones are not fully explained, but essential conditions include: (1) the sea at its warmest temperature of the year; (2) a deep unstable layer of moist, warm air; (3) an existing low-pressure (usually weak) circulation; and (4) the air moving on a curved path. The conditions for the genesis of tropical cyclones prevail in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, in the areas where most of the world’s small island states are located.
