2. Where do sub-hurricanes form?
a. In the Eastern Pacific, they can form 30? north to even 80?. The most favorable areas is from 48? to 75?. They will rarely form past the Aleutian Islands as there is no warm waters underneath to feed the sub-hurricanes. At the start of the season, most of the sub-hurricanes form north, near Alaska to cause landfall and damage. Due to them forming close to the coast, most landfalls are minor caused from subtropical storms to a category 1. Later, as the season goes, sub-hurricanes form southern, leading to stronger sub-hurricanes as there is more space to collect warm waters. This is the time when the Eastern Pacific is the most vulnerable. Westerlies are winds that blow northeast towards Alaska, Pacific Canada and northwestern United States, making them an easy target. Northeasterlies are winds that blow southwest from the northeast. This protects southern California and Mexico from sub-hurricanes though the remnants of one can make landfall on them. However, this makes Hawaii a target when a sub-hurricane forms south enough. Commonly, westerlies can rotate, adding to a sub-hurricane’s wind speed and intensity. The most intense was caused from a rotating westerlies, sub-hurricane Yena to Alaska, causing millions of dollars in damage. Anchorage was severely damaged.
b. The Atlantic Ocean has sub-hurricanes forming at any time, usually from December - April. Despite westerlies pushing sub-hurricanes away from North America, strong sub-hurricanes formed west of 51? manage to make landfall in Atlantic Canada and the eastern coast of the United States.. East of 51?, westerlies take sub-hurricanes to Europe and northern Africa. Unlike the Pacific, sub-hurricanes form more north, around 48? to 85?. In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean lies an area of cool water on the bottom of the ocean not suitable for sub-hurricanes. This in turn, protects the Carribean and central Africa from potential sub-hurricanes unless remnants of a strong hurricane make it through the cool water.
c. Western Pacific has westerlies blowing east though sub-typhoons have enough pressure to move winds around the intensity, leading to a phenomenon known as “The Silent Sub-Typhoon Entrance”. When a strong sub-typhoon is going to make landfall, the wind speeds of the current area drop to 0mph as the winds are ejected out. This means around the sides and behind a sub-typhoon, the wind speeds are twice to even six times stronger than what they originally were. If a sub-typhoon passed through Sakhalin then to Russia, originally Sakhalin would have 12mph wind speeds however it can range to 24mph to even 72mph winds. Sub-typhoons would form 47? to 82? north and form west of the International Date Line.
d. The Northern Indian Ocean contains sub-cyclones forming south of any other areas. 25? to 2? north. There have been reports of some sub-cyclones forming 3? to 7? south. Northeasterlies carry sub-cyclones away from the western coast of India. They will make landfall on the eastern coast of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. If formed north enough, some westerlies can carry sub-cyclones to Iran, Pakistan and the northwest part of India. East of India, trade winds sub-cyclones to the eastern coast of India though eastern winds from the Himalayas can carry sub-cyclones to Bangladesh and Burma. For the rare sub-cyclones formed south of the equator, southeasterlies can carry sub-cyclones to the eastern coast of Africa and Madagascar. The cold air from the Himalayas can carry sub-cyclones away from progressing to China or Nepal, often stalling or taking the sub-cyclone back to the ocean. Trade winds south of India can also take sub-cyclones south then west to strengthen and make landfall on Africa.