 Hurricane Seymour in the eastern Pacific has been upgraded to a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale (which measures a hurricane’s maximum sustained winds) with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. Hurricane Seymour has a minimum central pressure of 954 mb. The storm is currently located approximately 655 miles southwest off the tip of the Baja Peninsula in southern California. The storm is expected to make a turn to the west-northwest over the next few days and gradually weaken. This is a small tropical cyclone, with hurricane winds extending outward 25 miles from the center of the storm and tropical storm force winds extending out up to 90 miles. Hurricane Seymour is not expected to be a threat to land. Above is a great view of Hurricane Seymour from the GOES-West Satellite! To learn more about other high-impact tropical cyclone-based weather events from around the world, be sure to click here!
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Learning The Differences in Tropical Storms From Around The World! (credit: The Weather Network)10/24/2016  DISCUSSION: The only difference between a hurricane and a cyclone is the terminology. For those tropical cyclones which impact North America, we refer to them as hurricanes. Alternatively, across the Australia/Indian Ocean region, they are referred to as cyclones. You can also note from the image above that across eastern Asia and the western Pacific Ocean, they are known as typhoons. Bottom line, these different parts of the world have different titles for the same fundamental type of storm. These storms are all effectively large-scale storm systems which either spin in a counterclockwise direction (Northern Hemisphere) or a clockwise direction (Southern Hemisphere). So, effectively, tropical cyclones which develop in different parts of the world all have similar structure as shown in the images below.
To learn more about other high-impact tropical cyclone-based weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ~Weather Forecaster Christine Clements Super Typhoon Haima Heading For The Northern Philippines! (credit: Dan Lindsey via Himawari-8)10/18/2016 
DISCUSSION: As people continue to mentally and physically recover both along parts of the Southeast U.S. and Bermuda from the recent impacts of Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Nicole respectively, the world's attention now turns to the Tropical West Pacific Ocean basin. This attention is due to the robust presence of what is now Super Typhoon Haima which has quickly made global headlines and will soon make even more headlines with its current heading aimed directly at northern portions of the Philippines. Unfortunately, this event has the potential to deliver similar impacts as those felt in association with Super Typhoon Haiyan which impacted nearly all of the central and northern Philippines back in November 2013. Though this storm is somewhat weaker than Haiyan was even prior to the time of landfall, this storm is still comparable in strength.
More specifically, Super Typhoon Haima currently has maximum sustained winds of 165 mph with gusts up to (or possibly just over 200 mpn) very close to this tropical cyclone's circulation center. Thus, as a point of reference, it currently is maintaining the equivalent intensity as that found in association with a Category 5 hurricane in the Tropical Atlantic or Tropical Eastern/Central Pacific basins. Therefore, this is an incredibly dangerous tropical cyclone which has now become a very serious threat to the central/northern Philippines as well as eastern China upon Haima re-emerging over the northern South China Sea. Though it is forecast to weaken down to the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane after the first landfall in the Philippines, Haima will then present a serious coastal and inland flooding threat to eastern China. Note how in the visible satellite loop attached above (courtesy of Meteorologist Dan Lindsey via the Himawari-8 satellite imager), you can clearly identify the perfect symmetry and large, clear eye associated with Haima as of a little earlier today! The bottom line is that this is an incredibly dangerous tropical cyclone which will continue to deliver increasing more pronounced impacts to the central and northern Philippines as time continues to pass! Be sure to stay tuned for updates on the status and progress of Super Typhoon Haima right here at the Global Weather and Climate Center as we move forward in time! ~Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz Can We Expect Tropical Storm Otto to Develop Soon? (Credit: NOAA, National Hurricane Center)10/17/2016 DISCUSSION: While Hurricane Nicole looms in the northern Atlantic Ocean, a new tropical disturbance develops off the southeast coast of the Bahamas. According to the National Hurricane Center, the system was observed as an unsettled area of low pressure containing distinctive cloud coverage and disorganized thunderstorms. For the next 5 days, there remains a 60% possibility for the disturbance to develop into a tropical cyclone as it continues to interact with warm tropical waters. If upper-level wind shear provides a conducive environment which supports tropical cyclone formation, then the 15th Atlantic storm would be named Tropical Storm Otto. In the meantime, storm activity will continue to be monitored throughout the remainder of the week. To learn more about other interesting weather content from across North America, be sure to click here! ~Weather Forecaster Aisha Murphy   DISCUSSION: As of this evening, a strengthening Hurricane Nicole is continuing to bear down on the island of Bermuda. As of the current time, Hurricane Nicole is a Category 4 hurricane (based on the scale defined by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) wherein the criteria for a Category 4 hurricane is met once a hurricane achieves maximum sustained winds of between 130 and 155 mph. It is important to note that Hurricane Nicole has likely reached its maximum intensity; though a bit more strengthening prior to landfall or a near-landfall in Bermuda cannot be completely ruled out of the realm of possibility. Be sure to watch the video briefing above for details and stay tuned for updates on Hurricane Nicole right here at the Global Weather and Climate Center.
To learn more about other high-impact weather tropical cyclone-based events from around the world, be sure to click here! ~Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz Interactive Archived Hurricane Tracking Tool! (credit: https://coast.noaa.gov/hurricanes/)10/12/2016  DISCUSSION: As hurricane season has recently gone past its climatological peak, there are many government-based forecasting and research organizations whose focus is studying and analyzing past tropical cyclones. That being said, to be able to study past tropical cyclone events, looking at hurricane archives is the way to go. Now, there is one of the most state-of-the-art tropical cyclone archives available through the following link! It is definitely worth checking out for your own research and personal interests regardless of what your level of knowledge happens to be!
To learn more about other tropical cyclone events and educational topics thereof from around the world, be sure to click here! ~Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz   DISCUSSION: As NOAA Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance aircraft flew out to investigate and study the structure and intensity associated with what is now a strengthening Hurricane Nicole, they ended up finding some fairly impressive stuff. Attached above is an image of the fairly well-formed eye of Nicole which was found as earlier this afternoon by scientists aboard the aircraft which investigated Nicole! Currently, the forecast track of Nicole (as shown in the second image from the top) brings the center of Nicole close to (or possibly directly over) the island of Bermuda sometime within the next 30 to 40 hours or so. Thus, people living in or currently vacationing in Bermuda should pay close attention to the forthcoming changes that occur with both the track and intensity of Nicole as time moves forward!
To learn more about this and other high-impact tropical cyclone-based weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ~Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz 
DISCUSSION: As hurricanes run parallel to densely populated coastal regions around the world, there are nearly always prolific consequences in a very short amount of time. The associated impacts from the approach and eventual arrival of Hurricane Matthew was certainly no different than any other which has ever approached vulnerable coastal regions both in and outside of the contiguous United States! More specifically, all the way from East-Central Florida to Eastern North Carolina, there were pronounced impacts felt by a nasty combination of strong winds, heavy rainfall, and a formidable storm surge for a fairly prolonged period of time across the entire aforementioned geographical region.
Along the coast of North Carolina, a strong impact was inarguably felt for more than 24 hours with sustained winds along and just inland from the coastal of 50 to 70 mph in many places and even some occasional gusts up to or over 90 mph! Thus, it was a very long and scary couple of days across much of the coastal Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. Though, it is important to note that Florida was the impacted by Matthew within the confines of the U.S. and experienced the most volatile hurricane-force conditions of any state during the course of Matthew's interactions with the aforementioned parts of the East Coast. In the video below, you will see how the massive waves associated with the arrival of Matthew proved to be destructive to infrastructure in areas both coastal and slight-inland (e.g., here in the form of the Oak Island pier being ripped to pieces by the strong waves coming ashore violently). Thus, it is always imperative to evacuate if instructed to do so well ahead of the approach of a tropical cyclone with equivalent strength to that found in association with Matthew. To learn about other tropical cyclone-related stories, be sure to click here! ~Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz
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DISCUSSION: NASA’s International Space Station (ISS) released incredible camera footage (above) of Hurricane Matthew which was caught looming in the Caribbean. The imagery displays Matthew’s distinctive eye-wall. Yesterday, the eye of the storm accompanied calm wind speeds and a central minimum pressure around 950mb. More strikingly, the storm itself packed catastrophic maximum sustained wind speeds of up to 140 mph as it slammed the northeastern coast of Cuba and western Haiti. Devastating storm impacts included heavy rainfall amounts, torrential flooding, storm surge and extreme wind damage. Currently, Matthew is expected to approach the Bahamas by Wednesday night and the eastern coastlines of Florida by Thursday.
To learn more about other high-impact tropical cyclone-based weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ~Weather Forecaster Aisha Murphy Incredible Evolution of Matthew On Microwave Imagery! (credit: Meteorologist Brad Panovich)10/4/2016 
DISCUSSION: Over the past 24 to 48 hours, Hurricane Matthew has undergone some significant structural changes. The bulk of these changes were a consequence of Matthew's circulation running across far western parts of Haiti. Due to the fact that the island of Haiti has a substantial amount of more mountainous terrain (including in areas where part of Matthew moved across), this acted to somewhat disrupt the structural integrity but surprisingly not the strength of this tropical cyclone. Prior to Matthew making its first landfall across far western Haiti, it has maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. However, upon re-entering the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea (i.e., between western Haiti and eastern Cuba), it still has maximum sustained winds of 145 mph with a pressure rise of 9 mb (i.e., from 940 mb to 949 mb). Thus, despite a lower intensity with respect to the lowest minimum central pressure, the storm miraculously maintained its strength despite experiencing a rise in the minimum central pressure.
That being said, in looking at the animated graphic below, you can clearly see the gorgeous symmetry associated with the animated microwave imagery focused on Hurricane Matthew. As noted in both the still image (above) and the animated graphic (below), the various banded colors which extend around the periphery of Matthew's circulation represent the brightness temperature in degrees Kelvin. Thus, you can see how cold the cloud-top temperatures (as denoted by the aforementioned brightness temperatures) have been throughout the course of Matthew's evolution thus far. Also, note how the eye widened after the first landfall in Haiti which was likely a result of the tightly-wrapped circulation becoming broader and then re-tightening at a larger radius due to the inherent effects of the terrain on the circulation of Matthew! To learn more about other high-impact tropical cyclone-based weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ~Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz
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