Mauritius Cyclones
Cyclones Mauritius
Wondering what is the difference between a cyclone, a hurricane or a typhoon? There is no! It’s just the different locations. In Mauritius and in the Indian Oceans these kinds of wind are called cyclones. Cyclones (like all these winds) can only develop over sea waters with a minimum temperature of 27 degrees Celsius (therefore no worries: the day we have 27 degrees water temperature in the North Sea we will have more than a problem of cyclones…). Usually cyclones are born around 400-500 km to the North East of Mauritius. But this does not happen all the year around. The right water temperature will reach the point of 27 degrees usually during the summer months, meaning from November to March. Huge water masses are evaporating by the heat, and benefitting from the rotation of the earth these clouds get the shape of a incredible large swirl. This swirl can have a diameter of hundreds of kilometer and is rotating around an “eye”.
This eye has usually a diameter of only a couple of km, but its the most bizarre feeling to be in the center of a cyclone, in exactly this eye. Whereas around the eye wind gusts can reach the speed of more than 300 km per hour, in the eye there is no, really no wind at all. Its a strange feeling: one minute ago heavy rains from almost all directions, winds which can carry roof tops and cars around and suddenly: quiet, nothing, sun shine. But this literally only the calm before the storm, because as quick as the “hell” stopped it will start again… Like a children’s spinner the cyclone starts moving slowly (usually with a speed of 15 – max 30 km/h) in a South-Western direction. In the moment the cyclone is borne it will be given a name, beginning with the first letters of the alphabet. The names are given before the cyclone season among the countries in the area (including Mauritius). First cyclone of the season starts with the letter A, usually we finish the cyclonic season around letter K, means as an average 8 cyclones per season. Once the cyclone approaches Mauritius a alert system takes place working together with the neighbor islands. Nevertheless, the way every country deals with the situation is different, for example: there are 4 cyclone warning levels in Mauritius Weather, 3 on the neighbor island of La Reunion.
