Difference Between Typhoon and Hurricane
Typhoons and hurricanes are the same type of storm - they differ only in location. Hurricanes occur in the Atlantic Ocean and Northeast Pacific. Typhoons occur in the Northwest Pacific. Cyclones occur in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. All are tropical cyclones with sustained winds of 74+ mph; the name depends solely on where the storm forms.
Key Takeaways
- Tropical cyclones are large rotating storm systems that form over warm ocean water.
- Storms that cross the International Date Line can be renamed (typhoon becomes hurricane or vice versa).
- The Northwest Pacific is the most active basin for tropical cyclones globally.
Explanation
Tropical cyclones are large rotating storm systems that form over warm ocean water. When they reach sustained winds of 74 mph (119 km/h), they are classified as hurricanes, typhoons, or cyclones depending on location. The Atlantic basin and Northeast Pacific use 'hurricane'; the Northwest Pacific uses 'typhoon'; the South Pacific and Indian Ocean use 'cyclone.'
The physics and danger levels are identical. A Category 5 typhoon is just as powerful as a Category 5 hurricane. The same Saffir-Simpson scale (Categories 1-5) is used for Atlantic hurricanes, while typhoons use different scales in different countries. The most intense storms in any basin can have winds exceeding 180 mph.
The different names come from different cultures and languages in each region. 'Hurricane' derives from the Caribbean god Huracán. 'Typhoon' comes from Chinese 'tai fung' (great wind) or Greek 'typhon' (monster). 'Cyclone' comes from Greek 'kyklos' (circle).
The Northwest Pacific basin produces the most tropical cyclones of any ocean basin, averaging 26 per year compared to 12 in the Atlantic. This is because the Northwest Pacific has the largest expanse of warm water (above 80°F/26.5°C) needed to fuel these storms. Typhoons in this basin also tend to be stronger on average, with super typhoons (sustained winds above 150 mph) occurring several times per year. Typhoon Tip in 1979 holds the record for lowest sea-level pressure ever recorded in a tropical cyclone at 870 millibars.
All tropical cyclones rotate in the same direction relative to their hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect: counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. They cannot form within about 5 degrees latitude of the equator because the Coriolis force is too weak there to initiate rotation. A tropical cyclone that crosses the equator - which is exceptionally rare - would theoretically lose its spin and dissipate rather than reverse direction.
Things to Know
- Storms that cross the International Date Line can be renamed (typhoon becomes hurricane or vice versa).
- The Northwest Pacific is the most active basin for tropical cyclones globally.
- In Australia, severe tropical cyclones are sometimes informally called 'willy-willies.'
- Tropical cyclones below hurricane/typhoon strength have different names too: tropical storms in the Atlantic, severe tropical storms in the Pacific, and deep depressions in the Indian Ocean.