- Tropical Cyclones are storm systems characterised by a large low-pressure centre and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Depending on its location and strength, a tropical cyclone is referred to as hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression or simply cyclone.
- Few events rival their power. Not only can they produce extremely powerful winds and torrential rain, they can also churn the sea and produce high waves (50 feet/15 metres) and damaging storms as well as tornadoes. they develop over large bodies of warm water and build energy as they move across the ocean. They lose their strength upon reaching land, but not before unleashing devastating damage to coastal regions.
2) TSUNAMIS
- When an underwater disturbance like an earthquake occurs, millions of galloons of seawater are suddenly displaced, creating waves that radiate in all directions at the speed of a commercial jet! The waves are unnoticeable at sea,but closer to shore, they gather height quickly (reaching up to 34 feet high) before hitting land.
- The December 26, 2004 tsunamis resulted from a massive underwater earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale was the largest since 1964. The resulting tsunami caused an unimaginably high death toll of more than 220,000.
3) ICEBERGS
- While sea ice poses little danger to humas, it is the mountainous icebergs one should worry about (we all know what happened to the RMS Titanic in 1912)
- What makes them dangerous is the part you can't see. The biggest ones can reach 400 feet above water, but what lies beneath can be 7-10 times bigger. Running into them at high speed is like smashing a car into concrete.
4) WHIRLPOOLS & MAELSTROMS
- A whirlpool is swirling body of water usually produced by ocean tides. Some exhibit a downward pull called a vortex. The more powerful ones are called maelstroms.
- The world's strongest maelstrom is the Saltstraumen outside Bodo, Norway. There's a window of opportunity when currents appear calm enough for larger ships to pass through, but it currents are constantly churning, making this the planet's most dangerous maelstrom.
5) ROGUE WAVES
- These spontaneous monster waves occuring in the middle of the ocean were thought to be legendary for the longest time, and although seafarer stories and damage to ships hinted at their existence, scientific evidence wasn't available until one was photographed by chance in the mid 1990's.
- Mid-ocean waves commonly reach 23 feet in height, sometimes 49 feet. But sailors have reported waves that measure up to 98 feet that appear without warning, often in clear weather. Though they are big enough to crush and sink large ships, these rogue waves aren't always the biggest waves found at sea. They are, however, monstrous given the sea conditions.
