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Tropical cyclone

Tropical cyclone

Natural hazards

Tropical cyclones are also called hurricanes or typhoons, depending on the region.

A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm that begins over tropical oceans, and they can vary in speed, size, and intensity.

Tropical cyclones are the second-most dangerous natural hazards, after earthquakes.

Overview

Tropical cyclones are one of the biggest threats to life and property, even in the earliest stages of their development. Their life cycles can run their course in as little as 24 hours, others can last as long as a month.

Tropical cyclones can often include multiple hazards, such as extreme winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge and flooding, lightning and tornadoes. When these hazards interact, they can significantly increase the danger and threat that a tropical cyclone can pose.

Impact

Each year, tropical cyclones cause multiple casualties, deaths, and significant damage to property and infrastructure in the immediate term.

Over the past 50 years, 1,945 disasters have been attributed to tropical cyclones, which killed 779,324 people and caused US$ 1.4 trillion in economic losses – an average of 43 deaths and US$ 78 million in damages daily.

Tropical cyclones represented 17% of weather-, climate- and water related disasters and were responsible for one third of both deaths (38%) and economic losses (38%) over the 50-year period.

In the longer term, such as with 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, and Tropical Cyclone Harold in 2020, the impact can persist for many years, with communities still trying to recover from the destruction and displacement that occurred.

Socioeconomic impacts related to tropical cyclones are increasing worldwide due to a rise in coastal physical infrastructure and people living in coastal regions.

The increase in the destructive power of a tropical cyclone emphasizes the importance of ensuring all people and property are protected by early warning systems.

WMO's response

WMO works with our Members to coordinate analyses, make data available, and share knowledge around the world through our Global Data-processing and Forecasting System, and the Global Basic Observation Network.

Making these data available means that more National Meteorological and Hydrological Services can make accurate, timely forecasts, so that people can prepare for disasters before they strike.

In addition, WMO spearheads the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative to close the gap in early warning systems, especially in developing countries, to support the global implementation of climate adaptation.

Related activities

Activity

Tropical Cyclone Programme (TCP)

The Tropical Cyclone Programme (TCP) allows tropical cyclone forecasters to access various sources that provide conventional and specialized data/products, including those from Numerical Weather Predictions (NWP) and remote sensing observations, as well as forecasting tools on the development, motion, intensification and wind distribution of tropical cyclones. As part of the Weather and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Services Department, the Programme is tasked with establishing national and regionally coordinated systems to ensure that the loss of life and damage caused by tropical cyclones are reduced to a minimum. The TCP is effected on both national and regional levels through cooperative action and covers activities of Members, WMO regional associations, other international and regional bodies and the WMO Secretariat.

Activity

WMO Coordination Mechanism (WCM)

Co-designed and tailored solutions for United Nations (UN) and Humanitarian Agencies (HA)The WMO Coordination Mechanism (WCM), a core element of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, supports crisis-prone and conflict-affected regions with timely expert advice and situational awareness.WCM delivers co-designed and tailored solutions to United Nations (UN) and Humanitarian Agencies (HA), curating authoritative weather, climate and water information and expert advice from WMO Members and Centres, advancing early action, enhancing preparedness efforts, and providing crisis support. It also plays an important role in terms of capacity building.From 2022 to 2025, thanks to the contributions from WMO Members and Centres, UN / HA and Partners, over 500 WCM products (scans and briefings) have supported humanitarian agencies in saving lives and livelihoods (e.g. WCM HydroMet Scans for the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm MOCHA in Myanmar / Bangladesh in 2023, and for the earthquake-impacted areas in Myanmar in 2025).WCM activities have also increased the visibility of WMO Members and Centres within the humanitarian community. More on the WMO Coordination Mechanism (WCM)Weather4UN Pilot ProjectWCM Service Delivery

Activity

WMO Integrated Processing and Prediction System (WIPPS) 

As a worldwide network of operational centres operated by WMO Members, the WMO Integrated Processing and Prediction System (WIPPS) makes defined products and services operationally available among WMO Members and relevant operational organizations for applications related to weather, climate, water and the environment.High-quality products and services are generated using advanced science and technology such as Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and Earth system modelling, better observations, improved data assimilation, increased computing power, and enhanced knowledge of weather dynamics and physics. These advancements have led to more accurate predictions, benefiting operational meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, and climatology. However, there is a significant disparity in forecasting capabilities among WMO Members, with developed Members benefiting more from these advancements compared to developing and least developed countries due to limited resources.  WIPPS serves as a framework to address this gap for sharing operationally meteorological, hydrological, oceanographic, and climatological data. WMO Members can access and utilise the most advanced numerical models’ data and applications through WIPPS Designated Centre (WIPPS-DC), leveraging scientific and technological advancements in Earth system modelling. WIPPS is facilitated by the WMO Information System (WIS), which supports international data exchange. By expanding the range of designated and participating centres, WIPPS enhances the global data-processing and forecasting system, enabling a broader range of applications to strengthen the world’s weather, climate, water and related environmental services. WIPPS was previously known as the Global Data-processing and Forecasting System (GDPFS).Related links:WIPPS on the Community PlatformWIPPS Web PortalWIPPS Dashboard

Tropical Cyclone Programme (TCP) on the Community platform

The Tropical Cyclone Programme is tasked to establish national and regional coordinated systems to ensure that the loss of life and damage caused by tropical cyclones are reduced to a minimum.

Fact sheets

Tropical cyclone climatology

Tropical cyclone naming

Characteristics of tropical cyclones

Classification of tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclone forecasting

Tropical cyclones and their related hazards

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