Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons are all types of tropical storms. But what's the difference between them?
Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons are all types of tropical storms. But what's the difference between them? Nothing. Since they're three different names, people think they're three different kinds of storms.
Aside from slightly different wind speeds, there is no difference between a hurricane, a typhoon, and a cyclone. They are all basically the same thing but are given different names depending on where they appear.
Place of origin
In the Atlantic and northern Pacific, the storms are called hurricanes, after the Caribbean god of evil, named Hurrican.
In the northwestern Pacific, the same powerful storms are called typhoons.
In the southeastern Indian Ocean and southwestern Pacific, they are called severe tropical cyclones.
In the northern Indian Ocean, they are called severe cyclonic storms.
In the southwestern Indian Ocean, they are just tropical cyclones.
Different cycles
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, but the typhoon and cyclone seasons follow slightly different patterns. In the northeastern Pacific, the official season runs from May 15 to November 30. In the northwestern Pacific, typhoons are most common from late June until December. While in the northern Indian Ocean cyclone season ranges from April to December.
Tropical storms and depressions
A tropical storm is a generic term to describe a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters.
All kinds of tropical storms are formed over an ocean that is at least 27 degrees Celcius in temperature extending from the sea surface to the depth of 150 feet underwater, an atmosphere of high humidity, and where the air has a tendency to rise.
To be classified as a hurricane, typhoon, or cyclone, a storm must reach wind speeds of at least 74 miles per hour (119 kilometres per hour). A tropical storm with wind speeds under 39 mph (63 km/h) is called a tropical depression.
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