What is the Difference Between a Cyclone, Typhoon and Hurricane?

Associated Content ^ | Dahloan Hembree, Yahoo! Contributor Network

[SeekAndFind]

Do you know the difference between a hurricane, a typhoon and a cyclone? People often think they are one in the same. It is confusing enough to try to keep up with the hurricane season and all the terminology, without having to decipher the difference between the three. All storms are the same after all, or are they? I found out that while they share common characteristics, they are still different. How are they different? Basically, the location is what gives the storm it's name.

If a storm was to form in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific Ocean, we would call it a hurricane. So basically every storm that endangers the United States is a hurricane. In recent years, we have all become quit familiar with hurricanes and their powerful force.

A typhoon is generally any storm that begins in the Western Pacific. So a storm that threatens Japan or the islands of Guam or the Philippines is called a typhoon. Winds from a typhoon usually are stronger than a hurricane, however they endanger far less land area due to their locations.

Cyclones are storms that begin in the Southern Pacific. They only are generated west of 160 east Longitude. They are not as prevalent as hurricanes because of the cold water temperatures. Generally, water temperates must be over 80 degrees in order to be conducive to any storm.

[Oztrich Boy]

Not even close

Cyclone

Typhoon

Hurricane

[commish]

The spelling

[Joan Kerrey]

I think it’d be cool to experience a strong hurricane once.

I experienced a Typhoon when I was 9 years old in Japan as an army dependent in the early 50s. Our house was on an Island protected by a 10 foot sea wall and was directly across a roadway from the wall. It was awsome to watch until the waves stated breaking over the wall and onto the roadway. Then fear I had never experienced kicked in and we ran for our lives toward higher ground. Eventually we spotted a military bus making the rounds to all the homes on the Island spending the rest of the night in a messhall on higher ground. It was scary. Our house was washed away minutes after we left it.

[Bikkuri]

;)
Seriously.. imagine trying to explain the the insurance co (Allstate) that you lost your Hurricane in a hurricane ;)

I actually have a pic of me next to it next to my dorm.. but not posting for safety reasons ;) (not that it would matter.. I had hair back then, even if it was a high and tight, it was more than I have now (btw, I had to get permission from the base commander for that haircut, believe it or not.. it wasn’t considered ‘tapered’.. man, I miss the simplicity of the military days... lol) :D )

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Hurricanes take money from Nevin Shapiro.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

People often think they are one in the same.

The grammar, spelling and punctuation doesn't get much better following this.

One thing to say in favor of the MSM: they have better proofreaders.

[12Gauge687]

Thank you for sending the correct characters; the English means “strong wind” not what I first thought it was in Cantonese. The closest pronunciation in Mandarin would be “tai fung.”

[Clive]

A hurricane is a tropical cyclone. So is a typhoon. So is a tropical storm.

The general case is "tropical cyclone", the other terms are special instances having to do with their location on the globe or their intensity.