TROPICALWAVE:
An elongated area of low pressure which develops in the tropics and moves in an east to west direction, often characterized by disturbed weather.

TROPICAL DISTURBANCE:
An area of showers and thunderstorms in the tropics that maintains its identity for 24 hours or more.

TROPICAl STORM:
A non-frontal low pressure system usually originating in the tropics and rotating which maximum sustained counter-clockwise winds of 39 to 73 mph (34-63 knots.)

TROPICAL STORM WATCH:
An announcement for specific areas that a tropical storm or an incipient tropical storm condition poses a possible threat to those areas generally within 36 hours.

TROPICAL STORM WARNING:
A warning that tropical-storm conditions including possible sustained winds within the range of 39 to 73 mph are expected in a specific area in 24 hours or less.

HURRICANE WARNING:
Issued when hurricane conditions are expected in a designated area in 24 hours or less. Hurricane conditions include sustained winds of at least 74 mph (64 knots) and/or dangerously high tides and waves. Actions to protect life and property should be rushed to completion after the warning is issued.

HURRICAN EYE:
The relatively calm area near the center of the storm that can last, from several minutes to over an hour, depending on the hurricane’s size and speed, which ends suddenly as the winds return from the opposite direction, possibly with even greater force.

STORM SURGE:
A dome-like rise in ocean level associated with a hurricane. The difference between this abnormal rise in sea level and the level that would ovvur otherwise is called the storm surge. It is highest along and to the immediate right of where the eye of a hurricane strikes land.

ADVISORY:
A formal message usually from Meteorological Office issued every six hours and giving warning information along with details on tropical cyclone location, intensity and movement. The advisory contains a resume of all watches and warning in effect with precautions that should be taken.

INTERMEDIATE ADVSORIES:
Advisories issued at two or three hours intervals between regularly scheduled advisories,, whenever a storm nears an area.

SMALLCRAFTADVISORY:
An alert issued to small boats in coastal waters for winds of 23 to 38 mph (20-33 knots.) However, when a tropical storm or hurricane threatens a coastal area, small craft are advised to remain in port or not to venture into open seas.

PROBABILITY OFTROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE CONDITIONS:
Is the probability, in percent of the storm center passing within approximately 65 miles of a designated location within specified forecast period.