Observational analysis of tropical cyclone formation. Part III: budget analysis.

Abstract

Vertically integrated budgets of moisture, heat, angular momentum and kinetic energy are calculated from the composite data sets of Part I. The transition from cloud cluster to typhoon/hurricane is characterized by a warming of the troposphere and increase of tangential wind. Observations are presented to show that these effects are not restricted to the system's inner core region, but rather take place over a volume extending out to at least 6 degrees latitude radius from the system center.-from Author