cyclonic

Cyclonic is an adjective used to describe processes, features, or weather that are related to cyclones—large-scale low-pressure systems in which winds circulate around a central area of unsettled air. In meteorology, cyclonic phenomena include tropical cyclones (hurricanes or typhoons depending on region) as well as extratropical cyclones and other low-pressure systems. The term emphasizes the spiral wind pattern and associated cloud bands, precipitation, and dynamic activity that accompany such systems.

In terms of wind circulation, cyclonic flow refers to winds rotating around a low-pressure center. In the Northern Hemisphere this rotation is typically counterclockwise and inward toward the center; in the Southern Hemisphere it is clockwise. Cyclonic movement often leads to rising air, cloud formation, and precipitation, contributing to storms and weather disturbances.

Cyclonic weather is contrasted with anticyclonic weather, where winds circulate around a high-pressure center in the opposite direction and tend to be associated with more stable, drier conditions. The word cyclonic is widely used in forecasting, climatology, and descriptive meteorology, though the spelling and usage can vary with regional terms for the storms themselves.

Etymology: cyclonic comes from cyclone, with roots in the Greek kyklos meaning circle, reflecting the circular wind pattern around low pressure.