Also called tropical cyclones, tropical storms are organized storm systems that have a low pressure center and numerous thunderstorms. They form from tropical disturbances over warm tropical waters that emerge every three to four days from the coast of Africa as "tropical waves." If the ocean temperature remains warm and the upper level winds (known as wind shear) continue to be light, the system can strengthen and become a tropical depression - which is characterized by wind speeds less than 38 mph.
At this point, the storm begins to have a spiral appearance due to the flow of the winds and the rotation of the earth. Sometimes the storm system dies out if conditions aren't favorable, but if the storm strengthens to winds speeds of 39 to 73 mph, it becomes a Tropical Storm and is given a name. As wind speeds stregthen beyond 74 mph, the tropical storm is then classified as a hurricane according the Saffir-Simpson scale, which assigns categories and corresponding damage estimates to hurricanes depending upon its wind speed.
A common misconception about tropical storms is that they aren't as dangerous as hurricanes. The truth is, a tropical storm can cause a lot of problems. Heavy rainfall produces dangerous floods and high winds can generate a fierce storm surge.
For boaters, a tropical storm's ability to cause property damage should not be taken lightly. Also, don't assume that residents of the southern East Coast and Gulf Coast states are the only ones who need to worry about tropical storm or hurricane preparation. Tropical Storms are able to travel the entire coast of the U.S. and cause flooding problems far inland before they die out.
Know what a tropical storm watch means vs. a tropical storm warning, and when one is issued, take precautions to prepare your boat for the storm. You'll be glad you did.
