CYCLONE FREDDY (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has confirmed that cyclone Freddy, holds the record for the longest-lived tropical cyclone on record.

Cyclone Freddy

• About: It is originated off the northern coast of Australia and became a named storm on February 6, 2022.
• Path and Distance: It crossed the entire South Indian Ocean, traveling more than 8,000 kilometers, and affected Mauritius and La Réunion before making landfalls in Madagascar two weeks later and then Mozambique.
• Rapid Intensification: Freddy was the first tropical cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere to undergo six separate rounds of rapid intensification.
• Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE): It holds the record for all-time accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) for the Southern Hemisphere, measuring storm strength during its lifetime.
• Fuel Source: Freddy was fuelled by the warm ocean surface, consistently sourcing heat and moisture throughout its lifetime.
• Longevity: Very Intense Tropical Cyclone Freddy is the longest-lived tropical cyclone on record, surpassing Hurricane John's record of 31 days in 1994.
  

  Tropical Cyclone

  • About: A tropical cyclone is a warm-core low pressure system that develops over tropical or subtropical waters and has an organised circulation. 
  • Example: These include hurricanes and typhoons. TCs produce high winds, large waves, extreme water levels and heavy rainfall.
  • Main Role: It play an important role in maintaining the energy balance at the air-sea interface. TCs take heat energy from the ocean surface to fuel their development. 

  oThey also dissipate kinetic energy into the ocean through waves.

  World Meteorological Organization

  • About: It is the specialized agency of the United Nations whose mandate covers weather, climate and water resources.
  • Established: 1950
  • Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland