Tropical Revolving storm

(Also known as “Cyclones” “Typhoons” “Hurricanes” “Cordonazo” “Willy-willy”)

A tropical revolving storm or TRS is a storm system with a low pressure center, around which winds of gale
force (38 knots or force 8) or more blow spirally inwards. (Counter-clockwise in Northern Hemisphere;
Clockwise in Southern Hemisphere)
Tropical Revolving Storms originate over oceans in tropical areas and coastal regions. This is due to the fact that
the tropical region receives the most solar radiation per area caused by the direct and vertical rays of the sun.
(Tropical region is the region near the equator which is between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5oN) and the Tropic of
Capricorn (23.5oS)

Formation of TRS
The low pressure region is a warm region where warm air expands and then rises (Large, still, warm ocean area
with temperature above 26.5oC). The cool air from the high pressure zone rushes in to fill in the void left by the
rising warm air, this air warms and becomes moist as well allowing it to rise then more cool air rushes in to fill
the void. The warm moist air cools as it rises higher into the atmosphere because temperature drops with
increasing altitude. The process will continue and as a result you will see an eye like figure at the center of the
storm.
At the center of every tropical cyclone is an area of very low pressure. As a result, the high pressure air
surrounding the center, or eye of the storm, is constantly rushing toward the low-pressure void in the middle.

Coriolis Force
A storm’s rotation is due to something called Coriolis Effect. Coriolis Effect is a phenomenon that causes fluids,
like water and air, to curve as they travel the Earth’s surface.
Because the earth is a sphere and wider at the middle, points around the equator is spinning faster than the
points near the poles.
Conditions from development of Cyclone
The process by which a tropical cyclone develops and intensifies depends on at least these 6 conditions:
1. A pre-existing disturbance with a thunderstorm
2. Relatively moist atmospheric layers in the middle troposphere.
3. Warm ocean temperature which is at least 26.5oC
4. Light winds aloft which do not change much in direction and speed throughout the depth of the atmosphere.
5. Must be poleward of about 5 deg. North/South latitude in order to meet minimum threshold values fro the
Coriolis Effect.
6. Upper level outflow over the system.

Cyclone structure
The main parts of a cyclone are the Eye, the Eyewall, and the Rainbands.
The Eye:
The very center part of a cyclone where the air sinks forming the warm core and relatively cloud-free
eye. The cyclone’s center is a calm and clear area which is usually 10-40 nautical miles wide, containing the
lowest surface pressure in the tropical cyclone.
The eyewall:
 The innermost convective ring of a thunderstorms that surrounds the eye of the cyclone. This region is
home to the most intense winds and fiercest rains and has a typical width of approximately 10-15 nautical miles.
Additionally, it is the most significant contributor in the vertical transport of the warm moist air from lower
levels of the storm into the middle and upper levels of the troposphere.
The rainbands:
The rainbands serve as major source of upward vertical motion and therefore play a significant part in
transport process that removes warm moist ocean air and deposits it in the middle and upper troposphere.

The indications of clone at sea

There can be four types of observations that may alert the mariner to an approaching tropical cyclone:
Wind
In the absence of information, surface winds are the best guide to quickly determine the direction to the
center of the cyclone.
Wave
The direction of the swell encountered over open oceans is indicative of the direction of the tropical
cyclone’s center when that swell is originally generated.
Clouds
With a system 500-1000 NM away from a vessel, skies may appear relatively clear and any low cumulus
clouds will have a very shallow vertical extent. As the system and the vessel close to about 300-600 NM in
distance, high level cirrus cloudiness will appear as a thin, wispy veil spreading away from the direction of the
tropical system.
If the separation between the tropical cyclone and the vessel continues to decrease, the cirrus will thicken and
lower somewhat taking on the layered appearance of a cirrostratus deck of clouds. Even closer to the storm,
layered altostratus clouds will begin to appear at the middle levels of the atmosphere. Finally, rain-showers and
thick, heavy walls of cumulonimbus clouds begin to indicate the proximity of outer rain-bands in the tropical
cyclone. At this point the center of the system may still be as much as 200-400 NM from the location of the
ship.

Surface Pressure
Small rises and falls in the surface pressure can sometimes be noticed in shipboard barometers as a
“pumping action” in the pressure reading. The restlessness of the barometer is related to the intense upward
motions and extremely strong wind gusts associated with a tropical cyclone.
THUMB RULE: If pressure is 5 hpa less than normal it means storm centre is 200 NM from you

Estimating the Position of the Cyclone

Changes in wind direction and speed along with changes to shipboard barometric pressure are the fundamental
guides in locating a vessel within the tropical cyclone’s circulation.

Veering Winds
Winds veering over time indicate that the ship is in the right semi-circle (with respect to tropical cyclone
motion) of the system.
Backing Winds
Backing winds over time indicate that a vessel is in the left semi-circle of a system.
Ahead of a Tropical Cyclone
If wind direction remains steady but continues increasing in speed, a vessel is likely located ahead of the
tropical cyclone. Another indication of this is continue fall of barometric pressure. in some cases quite rapidly as
the system center moves closer
Rear of the Tropical Cyclone y
Alternatively, winds that remain steady in direction but decrease in speed it means that the vessel is
located to the rear of the tropical cyclone along its track. Another indication of this is a steady rise in barometric
pressure. Once the location of the vessel with respect to the center of the tropical cyclone is known, the mariner
can begin to make course adjustments to clear.

Maneuvering to Avoid the Storm Center

The safest procedure with respect to tropical cyclones is to avoid them. If action is taken sufficiently early, this
is simply a matter of setting a course that will take the vessel well to one side of the probable track of the storm,
and then continuing to plot the positions of the storm center as given in the weather bulletins, revising the
course as needed.
However, this is not always possible. If the ship is found to be within the storm area, the proper action to take
depends in part upon its position relative to the storm center and its direction of travel. It is customary to divide
the circular area of the storm into two parts.
In the Northern Hemisphere, that part to the right of the storm track (facing in the direction toward which the
storm is moving) is called the dangerous semicircle. It is considered dangerous because
(1) the actual wind speed is greater than that due to the pressure gradient alone, since it is augmented by the
forward motion of the storm, and
(2) the direction of the wind and sea is such as to carry a vessel into the path of the storm (in the forward part of
the semicircle).
The part to the left of the storm track is called the less dangerous semicircle, or navigable semicircle. In this
part, the wind is decreased by the forward motion of the storm, and the wind blows vessels away from the storm
track (in the forward part). Because of the greater wind speed in the dangerous semicircle, the seas are higher
than in the less dangerous semicircle. In the Southern Hemisphere, the dangerous semicircle is to the left of the
storm track, and the less dangerous semicircle is to the right of the storm track.
The first action to take if the ship is within the cyclonic circulation is to determine the position of his vessel with
respect to the storm center. While the vessel can still make considerable way through the water, a course should
be selected to take it as far as possible from the center. If the vessel can move faster than the storm, it is a
relatively simple matter to outrun the storm if sea room permits.
But when the storm is faster, the solution is not as simple. In this case, the vessel, if ahead of the storm, will
approach nearer to the center. The problem is to select a course that will produce the greatest possible minimum
distance. This is best determined by means of a relative movement plot.

Determining the position of the cyclone

According to Buys Ballot’s Law, an observer whose back is to the wind has the low pressure on his left in the
Northern Hemisphere and on his right in the Southern Hemisphere.

General Rules to Avoid TRS

Northern Hemisphere

Right or Dangerous Semicircle: Bring the wind on the starboard bow (045° relative), hold course and make as
much way as possible. If necessary, heave to with head to the sea.
Left or less dangerous semicircle: Bring the wind on the starboard quarter (135° relative), hold course and
make as much way as possible. If necessary, heave to with stern to the sea.
 Northern Hemisphere
On storm track, ahead of center: Bring the wind 2 points on the starboard quarter (about 160° relative), hold
course and make as much way as possible. When well within the less dangerous semicircle, maneuver as
indicated above.
On storm track, behind center: Avoid the center by the best practicable course, keeping in mind the tendency
of tropical cyclones to curve northward and eastward.

Southern Hemisphere
Left or dangerous semicircle: Bring the wind on the port bow (315° relative), hold course and make as much
way as possible. If necessary, heave to with head to the sea.
Right or less dangerous semicircle: Bring the wind on the port quarter (225° relative), hold course and make
as much way as possible. If necessary, heave to with stern to the sea

Southern Hemisphere
On storm track, ahead of center: Bring the wind about 200° relative, hold course and make as much way as
possible. When well within the less dangerous semicircle.
On storm track, behind center: Avoid the center by the best practicable course, keeping in mind the tendency
of tropical cyclones to curve southward and eastward.

Messages to be sent when TRS is Encountered

According to SOLAS V, Regulation 32
Whenever a vessel has encountered a tropical cyclone, the obligation should be interpreted in a broad
spirit, and information transmitted whenever the Master has good reason to believe that a tropical cyclone is
developing or exists in the neighborhood.
Time, date (UTC), and position of ship when the observation was taken.
As much of the following information as is practicable should be included in the message:
• Barometric Pressure • State of the Sea (Smooth, Mod, Rough, High)
• Barometric Tendency • True Wind Direction • Swell, Swell’s Direction and length
• Wind Force (Beaufort Scale) • True Course and speed of the ship
When the Master has reported a tropical cyclone, or other dangerous storm, it is desirable but not obligatory,
that further observations be made and transmitted hourly, if practicable, but in any case at intervals of not more
than 3 hours, so long as the ship remains under the influence of the storm.
Winds of Force 10 or above the Beaufort scale for which no storm has been received, the message shall contain
similar information to that listed above but excluding the details concerning sea and swell.

Iced in the Asia

Land Ice
 Ice of land origin is formed on land by the freezing of freshwater or the compacting of snow as layer
upon layer adds to the pressure on that beneath.
 Under great pressure, ice becomes slightly plastic, and is forced downward along an inclined surface. If
a large area is relatively flat, as on the Antarctic plateau, or if the outward flow is obstructed, as on
Greenland, an ice cap forms and remains throughout the year
 Where ravines or mountain passes permit flow of the ice, a glacier is formed. This is a mass of snow
and ice which continuously flows to lower levels, exhibiting many of the characteristics of rivers of
water. The flow may be more than 30 meters per day, but is generally much less.
 When a glacier reaches a comparatively level area, it spreads out. When a glacier, flows into the sea, the
buoyant force of the water breaks off pieces from time to time and these floats away as iceberg.
 Ice bergs may be described as dome shaped, sloping or pinnacled, tabular, glacier, or weather.
 A floating iceberg seldom melts uniformly because of lack of uniformity in the ice itself, differences in
the temperature above and below the waterline, exposure of one side to the sun, strains, cracks and
mechanical erosion. As a result, changes in equilibrium take place, which may cause the berg to
periodically tilt or capsize.
 Parts of the iceberg may break off or calve, forming separate smaller bergs.
 A relatively large piece of floating ice, generally extending 1-5m above the sea surface and normally
about 100-300 square meters in area is called a Bergy Bit. A smaller piece of ice large enough to inflict
serious damage to a vessel is called a Growler because of the noise it sometimes makes as it bobs up
and down in the sea. Growlers extend less than 1 meter above the sea surface and normally occupy an
area of about 20 sq. meters.
 Bergy bits and growlers are usually pieces calved from icebergs, but they may be the remains of a mostly
melted iceberg.
 The principal danger from icebergs is their tendency to break or capsize. Soon after a berg is calved,
while remaining in far northern waters, 60-80% of its bulk is submerged. But as the berg drifts into
warmer waters, the underside can sometimes melt faster than the exposed portion, especially in cold
weather.
 As the mass of the submerged portion deteriorates, the berg becomes increasingly unstable and will
eventually roll over. Icebergs that have not yet capsized have a jagged and possibly dirty appearance. A
recently capsized berg will be smooth, clean and curved in appearance.
 The stability of a berg can sometimes be noted by its reaction to ocean swells. The livelier the berg, the
more unstable it is. It is extremely dangerous for a vessel to approach an iceberg closely, even one which
appears stable, because in addition to the danger from capsizing, unseen cracks can cause icebergs to
split in two or calve off large chunks
 Another danger is from underwater extensions, called Rams, which are usually formed due to melting or
erosion above the waterline at a faster rate than below. Rams may also extend from vertical ice cliff, also
know as ice front, which forms the seaward face of massive ice sheet or floating glacier, or from an ice
wall, which is the ice cliff forming the seaward marginof glacier which is aground.
 Iceberg can be used as a navigational aid in extreme latitudes where charted depths may be in doubt or
non-existent. Since an iceberg (except large tabular berg) must be at least as deep in the water as it is
high to remain upright, a grounded berg can provide an estimate of the minimum water depth at its
location. Water depth will be at least equal to the exposed height of the groundedappearance
Sea Ice
 Sea ice forms by the freezing of the seawater and accounts for 95% of all ice encountered. The first
indication of the formation of new sea ice (up to 10cm in thickness) is the development of small
individual, needle-like crystals of ice called spicules, which become suspended in the top few
centimeters of seawater. These spicules, also know as Frazil Ice, give the surface an oily appearance.
 Grease Ice is formed when the spicules coagulate to form a soupy layer on the surface, giving the sea a
matte appearance.
 The next stage in sea ice formation occurs when shuga, an accumulation of spongy white ice lumps a
few centimeters across, develops from grease ice.
 Upon further freezing, and depending upon wind exposure, seas and salinity, shuga and grease ice
develop into Nilas, an elastic crust of high salinity, up to 10 Centimeters in thickness, with a matte
surface, or into Ice Rind, a brittle, shiny crust of low salinity with thickness up to approximately 5 cm.
 Sea Ice is exposed to several forces including currents, waves, tides, wind and temperature variations. In
its early stages, its plasticity permit it to conform readily to virtually any shape required by the forces
acting upon it. As it becomes older, thicker, more brittle, and exposed to the influence of wind and wave
action, new ice usually separates into circular pieces from 30cm to 3m in diameter and up to
approximately 10cm in thickness with raised edges due to individual pieces striking against each other.
These circular pieces of ice are called Pancake Ice, and may break into smaller pieces striking against
each other.
 Any single piece of relatively flat ice less than 20m across is called ice cake. With continued low
temperatures, individual ice cake and pancake ice will freeze together to form a continuous sheet or unit
into pieces of ice 20m or more called ice floes, which may further freeze together to form an ice covered
area greater than 10km across known as Ice Field.
 When sea ice reaches a thickness of between 10-30cm it is referred to as Gray and gray-white ice, or
collectively as Young Ice, and is transition stage between nilas and first-year ice.
 Sea ice which is formed in situ from seawater or by the freezing of pack ice (the term used in a wide
sense to include any area of sea ice, other than fast ice, no matter what form it takes or how it is
disposed.) of any age to the shore and which remains attached to a shoal, to an ice wall, to an ice front,
or between shoals is called Fast Ice.
 Ice detection
Safe navigation in the polar seas depends on a number of factors. Sophisticated electronic equipment such as
RADAR, SONAR, and the visible, infrared and microwave radiation sensors on board satellites, have added to
our ability to detect and thus avoid ice.
As a ship proceeds into higher latitudes, the first ice encountered is likely in the form of icebergs, because such
large piece of ice require longer time to disintegrate. Icebergs can easily be avoided if detected soon enough.
The distance at which an iceberg can be seen visually depends upon meteorological visibility, height of the
iceberg, source and condition of lighting, and the observer.
On a clear day with excellent visibility, a large iceberg might be sighted at a distance of 20 mile. With a low
lying haze around the horizon, the distance will be reduced. In light fog or drizzle this distance is further
reduced, down to near zero in heavy fog.
In a dense fog, an iceberg may not be perceptible until it is close aboard where it will appear in a form of
luminous, white object if the sun is shining; or as a dark, somber mass with narrow streak of blackness at the
water line if the sun is not shining.
If the layer of fog is not too thick, an iceberg may be sighted aloft sooner than from a point lower on a vessel.
The diffusion of light in a fog will produce a blink, or area of whiteness above and at the sides of an iceberg
which will appear to increase the apparent size of its mass.
On dark, clear nights icebergs may be seen at a distance of from 1 to 3 miles, appearing either as white or black
objects with occasional light spots where waves break against it. Under such visibility growlers are greater
menace to vessels; the vessel’s speed should be reduced and a sharp lookout maintained.
The moon may either help or hinder the detection of ice depending upon its phase and its position relative to
ship and iceberg. A full moon in the direction of the iceberg interferes with its detection, while moonlight from
behind the observer produce a blink which renders the iceberg visible for a greater distance of 3 or more miles,
If an iceberg is in the process of disintegration, its presence may be detected by a cracking sound as a piece
breaks off, or by thunderous roar as a large piece falls into the water.
The small piece of ice in the water indicates the presence of iceberg nearby. In calm weather, these pieces may
form a curved line with the iceberg on the concave side.
As the ship moves closer towards areas known to contain sea ice, one reliable sign that ice berg is being
approached is the absence of swell or wave motion in a fresh breeze or suddenly flattening of the sea, especially
from leeward.
When visibility becomes limited, RADAR can prove to be an invaluable tool for the mariner. Although many
icebergs will be observed visually on clear days before there is a return on the radarscope, RADAR under bad
weather conditions will detect the average iceberg at a range of 8 to 10 miles.
RADAR can be of great assistance to an experienced RADAR observer. Smooth sea ice, returns little or no
echo, but small floes of rough hummocky sea ice can be detected in a smooth sea of at a range of 2-4 miles.
Operations in Ice
Precautionary Measures
Prior Entering Ice Limit:
1. Use the route recommended by the Ice Superintendent through the appropriate reporting system
2. Do not enter ice if alternative route is available.
3. Enter the ice limit at low speed to receive initial impact of ice
4. Increase speed gradually to increase headway but not exceeding the speed which she might intake ice
damage.
5. Be prepared to go full astern anytime.
6. Navigation in pack ice should not be attempted without high power searchlights controlled by the bridge.
7. All forms of glacial ice should be given wide berth.
During Navigation Within Ice Limit:
1. Obtain latest ice information
2. Mark ice limit on appropriate chart
3. Plot all floating iceberg position and their drifting direction and speed
4. Follow the route given by the ice superintendent
5. Extra lookouts must be posted and bridge watch may be increased depending on the visibility
6. Reduce speed to a minimum to receive initial impact of ice
7. The ship should be ballasted down to ice draft to protect the bulbous bow.
8. Maintain safe speed at all times.
Ice Accretion
Ship’s travelling through regions where the air temperature is below freezing point may acquire thick deposits
of ice as a result of salt spray freezing on the rigging, deck houses and deck areas. The accumulation of ice is
called ice accretion. Also, precipitation may freeze to the superstructure and exposed areas of the vessel,
increasing the load of ice.
Factors of ice accretion:
Air temperature falls below -2 deg Celsius
Sea temperature decreases
Shipping seas and spray increases
• due to excessive ship’s speed
• due to unsuitable ship’s course
Factors of Ice Accretion:

If wind force increases above force 6, the rate of accretion increases because:
• Wind chill factor increases
• Increase of shipping sprays
Rate of ice accretion on a slow moving ship with the wind ahead or abeam, given wind and sea temperature, can
be estimated using “Icing Nomograms” given in mariner’s handbook.