A comparison of large and small tropical cyclones.

Abstract

The climatology and structure of, and possible reasons for, tropical cyclones of different sizes are examined. Rawinsonde composites of large and small tropical cyclones show that large cyclones have much more relative angular momentum (RAM) than small cyclones, while the differences in RAM between intense and weaker cyclones of equivalent size are less. Some of the implications of this observation are discussed, and a hypothesis that cyclones grow as a result of an increased convergence of angular momentum forced by their environment is presented. -from Author