Why the South Atlantic is almost entirely devoid of tropical hurricanes
In short: Tropical cyclones are common in the North Atlantic, but they are exceptionally rare in the South Atlantic. Strong vertical wind shear, cooler water temperatures, and a weak Coriolis force near the equator create a hostile environment for storm development, making the 2004 Hurricane Catarina a singular, historic anomaly.
For decades, meteorologists believed the South Atlantic was incapable of producing tropical cyclones. The region is plagued by intense vertical wind shear in the troposphere, which disrupts the structural formation of storms. Furthermore, the Intertropical Convergence Zone typically sits too close to the equator for the Coriolis force to provide the necessary rotation for cyclogenesis. Compounding these factors, the surface waters in the southern tropics are generally cooler than their northern counterparts, depriving potential storms of the thermal energy required to intensify.
Despite these barriers, the basin is not entirely dormant. A 2012 study identified 63 subtropical cyclones between 1957 and 2007, and the Brazilian Navy Hydrographic Center has tracked several named systems since 2011. The most significant event remains Hurricane Catarina in March 2004. Initially an extratropical system, it transitioned into a tropical cyclone and reached Category 2 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson scale before making landfall in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. With winds reaching 160 km/h, it caused millions of dollars in damage and resulted in between 3 and 11 deaths.
The classification of such storms has evolved alongside our ability to observe them. Before 1966, the lack of geostationary satellite imagery made it difficult to confirm the nature of past weather disturbances. Today, the Brazilian government is formalizing its monitoring capabilities, with plans to establish a Tropical Cyclone Advisory Centre in Rio de Janeiro by December 2026. This center will integrate into the World Meteorological Organization’s Tropical Cyclone Programme, ensuring that future systems in the western South Atlantic are tracked with greater precision and consistency.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: South Atlantic tropical cyclone
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