It's a Typhoon, it's a Cyclone, it's a Hurricane!

[Dimandja]

I have weathered a handful of hurricanes in Florida, in the past few weeks. Mostly by running from them, back to the northeast.

Can someone explain the difference between a typhoon, a cyclone, and a hurricane? Why are there different names for a seemingly same phenomenon?

 

[entaroadun]

Typhoon is the Chinese/Japanese term for hurricane.

I thought cyclones were tornados...

 

[SkipVought]

D,

I believe that a typhoon is a Pacific hurricane and a cyclone is a tornado, having looked up neither in a reference.

Skip,
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[SkipVought]

After referring to a reference, I appear to be in error.

A cyclone is

An atmospheric system characterized by the rapid inward circulation of air masses about a low-pressure center, usually accompanied by stormy, often destructive weather. Cyclones circulate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Both hurricanes and typhoons can be referred to as cyclones.

I wonder if a tornado is a particularly concentrated and specific type of cyclone.

Skip,
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[CajunCenturion]

Being from Louisiana, I too have had my share of hurricanes. With respect to your question, I believe you'll find that they are all the same thing. What you call it (hurricane, typhoon, or cylone) depends on where the storm is.

Cyclone is the more generic term, referring to any cyclonic (non-frontal) storm system that spins over tropical or sub-tropical waters, surrounded by organized thunderstorm activity, with clearly defined surface wind closed circulation.

To the specifics:
A Hurricane is a tropical cyclone in the North Atlantic (or the Gulf of Mexico), the Northeast Pacific east of the International dateline, or the South Pacific east of 160E longitude.

A Typhoon is a tropical cyclone in the Northwest Pacific, west of the International Date Line.

In the North Indian Ocean, a tropical cyclone is referred to as a "cyclonic storm", and in the Southwest Indian Ocean, it is simply known as a "tropical cyclone".

Good Luck
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[SkipVought]

CC,

Another distinction is that you can DRINK a Hurricane down on Burbon Street.

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[CajunCenturion]

Here, Here

Good Luck
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To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[Dimandja]

A votre sante! Still looking for that accent... It was here a moment ago...

 

[1oldfoxman]

You can also drink a Typhoon (according to WebTender.com):
Typhoon -
Chilled Champagne
1 oz Gin
1/2 oz Anisette
1 oz Lime juice
Shake all ingredients (except champagne) with ice and strain into a collins glass over ice cubes. Fill glass with chilled champagne, stir lightly, and serve.

 

[SkipVought]

One must also be able to REAP a hurricane, typhoon or cyclone.

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[CajunCenturion]

I wonder if a tornado is a particularly concentrated and specific type of cyclone.

About the only thing in common between a tornado and a tropical cyclone is that they are both vortical systems. Beyond that, the physics and dynamics are completely different.

Good Luck
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To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[CajunCenturion]

Dimandja - Is is safe to assume, based on your silence, that the information presented has satisfactorily answered your question?

Good Luck
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To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[SkipVought]

"...make it a Hurricane, before I go insane..."

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[SkipVought]

BTW, it's 12:17 CST HERE. It's 5:15 SOMEWHERE!

damn! dosn't have that ring

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[Dimandja]

Of course, CC, the info is good; all the other comments are even better.

I am not keeping idle at all. I have been reading every post. In fact, I don't think whether I got my answers or not is particularly relevant, as long as the thread is informative, or better yet fun.

 

[CajunCenturion]

I see, thank you.

Good Luck
--------------
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[JediBMC]

But what I really want to know is if a cyclone crosses the equator, does it immediately start spinning the opposite direction?

-Brian-
I'm not an actor, but I play one on TV.

 

[Dimandja]

I hear monsoon winds do change directions once they cross the equator. And this is probably the only depression that actually enjoys crossing the equator.

 

[CajunCenturion]

That's quite interesting Dimandja, and I would like to learn more as I've never encounted this phenomenom, but that doesn't mean it has never happened. I wonder if you could provide some backgroud information and some references as to when this has occured.

Perhaps you could explain exactly what a monsoonal depression actually is, and how it managed to overcome the Corialis forces without being destroyed while crossing the equator?

Good Luck
--------------
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[SkipVought]

Speaking of Corialis forces, would the pitch of a tone emitted from a CD be any different in the northern hemisphere compared to the southern hemisphere? Might there be a dopler effect?

Skip,
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