The terms ‘storm’, ‘hurricane’ and ‘cyclone’ are used interchangeably to describe the coming together of colossal forces of nature that can wreck havoc on anything in its path. In meteorological terms a cyclone is an area of closed spiralling fluid motion which rotates in the same direction as the Earth.1 The spiral nature of a cyclone is created by inward winds which rotate in counter clockwise and clockwise directions, relative to each other. This balance of forces provides overall stability to the cyclone, which would otherwise collapse due to the pressure differences.

When moist air flows inward across the surface of an ocean it rises vertically and releases the moisture as heavy rain …