Why is the typhoon rotating?
TyphoonSays·防御问答 · Typhoon knowledge · 更新 at 2026-07-19
地球自转的“隐形推手”
Typhoon is rotating, mainly because of a physical effect known as “Coriolis” (abbreviated toward force). You can imagine Typhoon as a giant air spiral, the center of which is a low-voltage zone. The surrounding air, in order to fill this low-voltage center, instinctively flows toward.
In the N hemisphere, the object in motion is driven by the toward-right deviation force; in the S hemisphere, by the toward-left deviation force. When the air toward the center of Typhoon gathers together, this deviation force makes it impossible for the air flow to flow directly into the center, but for a deviation, eventually forming a spiral rotational movement around the center. This is as if you throw a ball on a rotational disk, the trajectory of the ball looks curved.
SN半球的“镜像”差异
Since the rotary direction depends on the deviant direction, then the typhoon rotary direction of the SN hemisphere is naturally different, and they present a perfect "mirror" relationship:
- N半球influenced by the toward-right deviation force, the air flow around the center逆时针 China, Japan, USA equals at N hemisphere countries, where typhoon or hurricane is encountered follow this rule.
- S半球: 受 toward 左的偏转力影响, 气流围绕中心呈顺时针 For example, a tropical cyclone affecting Australia or Madagascar, whose rotation direction is exactly the opposite of the N hemisphere.
It is worth noting that near the equator (about 5 degrees within Slat) , the force toward is extremely weak, almost zero, so it is difficult to form a tropical cyclone with a clearly rotating structure.
科学认知与防灾准备
Understanding the rotation mechanism of Typhoon is not only to satisfy the curiosity, but also to help us understand the distribution of its destructive force. Typhoon's wind force in different directions is variable, usually the right hemisphere (N hemisphere) wind speed tends to be stronger than the left hemisphere, because the air flow Moving direction here is consistent with Typhoon's overall Moving direction, producing the overlap effect.
According to the National Standard of Tropical Cyclones issued by the China Meteorological Administration, Tropical Cyclones are divided by the largest wind force near the center into Nameless, Tropical Storm, Severe Tropical Storm, Typhoon, Severe Typhoon and Super Typhoon six levels. When the Meteorological Department issues the Typhoon warning signal, the public should pay close attention.
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This article is typhoonsay's original copy content, and the local policy standards are based on the local government's latest release.