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Shouldn't greenhouse warming reduce tropical storms, hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones?

Since the greenhouse effect affects higher latitudes more than lower ones and winter more than summer, shouldn't it reduce tropical storms, hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones which are caused by cool air (which will be warmer) meeting warm water (which will be warmer too but to a lesser degree)?

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  • UALog
    Lv 7
    10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    No, I think you are confusing the mid latitude cyclones with tropical cyclones. A mid latitude cyclone will get it's energy from the speed of upper level wind flow or the strength jet stream. This strength of the upper level is dependent on the difference between the temperature between the latitudes.. A tropical system like a tropical storm, hurricane, or typhoon will get its energy from the warm sea surface temperature near the tropics. The air in a hurricane is warmer as you go closer to the center of the storm and lower in elevation. The temperature of the air found in a warm core cyclone or tropical system can be warmer than the warm sea surface temperature.

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