Eye of the storm

The idea

The centre of a cyclone, the eye, has the lowest pressure and calm winds, while the region around it has strong winds and heavy rainfall.

Look from above

A cyclone is seen from above. Its winds revolve around the centre.

What is it like at the very centre?

• Calm, with the lowest pressure
• The strongest wind
• The heaviest rain

Eye and around

Open both tabs.

The calm centre

In a cyclone the lowest pressure is at the centre, called the eye. The wind at the eye is calm. The region around it has strong winds and heavy rainfall.

The eye is the centre of a cyclone: lowest pressure and calm wind. Around it: strong winds and heavy rain.

• Region | Pressure | Wind
• Eye (centre) | Lowest | Calm
• Around the eye | Higher than the eye | Strong, with heavy rain

Notes

The eye has the lowest pressure and calm wind. Around it: strong winds, heavy rain.

Check yourself

The centre of a cyclone is called the …

At the eye of a cyclone the wind is …

Where is the pressure lowest in a cyclone?

The region around the eye has …

• ear. The centre is called the eye.
• wall. The centre of a cyclone is the eye.
• eye — correct. Yes!
• calm — correct. Yes!
• the strongest. The wind at the eye is calm. The region around it is stormy.
• blowing upwards fast. The wind at the eye is calm.
• Far from the cyclone. The lowest pressure is at the eye, the centre.
• At the eye — correct. Yes!
• At the edge. The lowest pressure is at the centre.
• calm wind and no rain. That is the eye. Around it the winds are strong.
• snow only. It has strong winds and heavy rainfall.
• strong winds and heavy rainfall — correct. Yes!