Scientifically | The energy released by tropical cyclones is equivalent to the energy of 10,000 nuclear bombs.. How is that?

Arab Weather - In an amazing scientific study, it was found that the power of hurricanes sometimes exceeds the destructive power of nuclear bombs, which is something that scientists explain when comparing the energy released by hurricanes with that resulting from nuclear explosions.

Huge energy produced by tropical cyclones

Hurricanes, especially major ones like a Category 4 or 5, release enormous amounts of energy. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a Category 5 hurricane can generate the energy equivalent of exploding about 10 megatons of TNT per day. To put that into perspective, a typical hurricane releases about 600 terajoules of thermal energy per day. That’s about the energy released by 10,000 medium-sized nuclear bombs like the one dropped on Hiroshima, which had a yield of about 15 kilotons of TNT.

The amount of rain generated by a hurricane also releases a huge amount of latent heat due to the condensation of water vapor. According to scientists' estimates, a hurricane can release up to 200 times the energy produced by all the power plants on Earth in the same period.

Severe cold waves accompanied by snow and negative temperatures will affect northwestern Europe and North America in the coming days

Comparing hurricanes to nuclear bombs

To illustrate, a nuclear bomb like the one dropped on Hiroshima produces a single explosion equivalent to 10 to 15 kilotons of TNT. Hurricanes, on the other hand, last for a long time, lasting days or even weeks, releasing a continuous, destructive thermal energy far greater than a nuclear bomb.

Difference between explosive and thermal energy

It is worth noting that hurricanes rely on thermal energy generated by oceans and winds, while nuclear bombs rely on explosive energy resulting from nuclear fission. Although a nuclear bomb can be devastating at the moment of its explosion, the total energy released by a large, ongoing hurricane far exceeds the energy released by a nuclear bomb.

The Siberian high is rebuilding itself, does this herald the arrival of cold waves?

In short, major hurricanes release more energy than a nuclear bomb over an extended period of time. This energy comes from natural sources such as ocean heat and atmospheric vapor condensation, making them destructive natural phenomena.

God knows best.