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Contributed by Robert A. Black

There are no other planets known to have warm water oceans from which true water cloud hurricanes can form. However, many astronomers and planetary meteorologists believe Jupiter exhibits such storms, in which ammonia takes the place of water. The principal candidate is the famous Great Red Spot, and the numeous whorls that surround it. The Spot exhibits an anticyclonic circulation at its top, just as tropical cyclones do at the top of the troposphere.

Jupiter's Great Red Spot (NASA/JPL)

Last updated August 13, 2004

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