THE RECURVATURE OF TROPICAL STORMS

Abstract

The relations between major alterations of the paths of tropical storms and the upper windfield, especially changes in the height of the base of the polar westerlies, are examined in detail. If the base lowers greatly west of a storm in connection with an eastward moving middle-latitude trough, and remains low, northward recurvature will take place. If the upper westerlies cannot maintain themselves in low latitudes; however, the storm will bypass the northern trough and continue to travel westward. Similar riles are stated for several types of abnormal hurricane tracks, and some observations are made on the formation of tropical storms.