Typhoons and hurricanes are weather phenomena that occur as a result of natural events. Earthquakes, landslides, cyclones, and other natural calamities are examples. Depending on where the storm is occurring, tropical storms are classed as cyclones, typhoons, or hurricanes. They also differ in terms of wind speed differences. Depending on the place and the speed of the storm, they can or cannot cause human deaths.
Hurricane vs Typhoon
The main difference between a hurricane and typhoons is that hurricanes occur in the North Atlantic, and North Pacific and typhoons occur in the Northwest Pacific. Hurricanes are less frequent and intense than typhoons that are much stronger. A hurricane occurs almost every 10 to 15 years, whereas a typhoon occurs every 25 to 30 years.
A hurricane is a tropical storm that happens over the oceans in the tropics. This storm has a low intensity and pressure, as well as a top speed of over 74 mph. Indeed, the pressure may be felt in the hurricane’s top reaches. It has a smaller diameter in terms of diameter. In the meanwhile, it has a distinct eye.
Typhoons are rotating storms over the ocean having a cloud system, and thunderstorms occur over the regions of Northwest Pacific. Typhoons are common in East Asian countries like Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, etc., and often occur between the month of May and October.
Comparison Table Between Hurricane and Typhoon
What is Hurricane?
A hurricane is a typical tropical cyclone consisting of rotating, organized cloud systems and thunderstorms which occur in the regions of Central North Pacific, Eastern North Pacific, and North Atlantic. The common places for the occurrence of hurricanes are Texas, Hawaii, Florida, Caribbean islands, etc.
The word hurricane comes from a deity of Fire and Storms, the Mayan God, Huracán. There were various spelling variations, and the current spelling in use was finalized in 1688. A scale known as the Saffir-Simpson scale is used for the categorization of hurricanes from level 1 to level 5.
The tropical cyclone, when reaching 74 miles per hour or more, is called either hurricane or typhoon, depending upon the location of the storm. Hurricanes occur in the Atlantic regions from the time period of six months, i.e., from 1 June to 30 November. An average of 95% of tropical activity in the Atlantic region takes place between the month of June to November.
A hurricane is a type of storm that mainly occurs over the oceans in the tropics. It’s also known as a tropical cyclone because it forms over tropical or subtropical areas. As a result, when compared to other storms, it is regarded to have a high intensity, pressure, and strength.
Furthermore, the main reason behind the formation of hurricanes is air spiralling inward in a counterclockwise direction. Therefore, its intensity is highest at the lowest part of the hurricane. With the altitude, the intensity decreases and turns clockwise at the uppermost part of the hurricane. Additionally, it usually forms over low depression areas.
What is Typhoon?
A typhoon is a type of tropical cyclone that forms in the Northwest Pacific and consists of rotating, structured cloud formations and thunderstorms. The word typhoon comes from the Greek word Typhon (which means “whirlwind”) or the Hindi, Persian, and Arab word ‘tufan’, which means “large cyclonic storm.” Typhoons are tracked by the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Typhoons are more common and stronger due to the warm Pacific Ocean water, which acts as a fuel for the typhoon. Typhoons rotate clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
The storm can be distinguished based on the speed of the storms. The tropical cyclone, when reaching 74 miles per hour or more, is called either typhoon or hurricane, depending upon the location of the storm.
The commonplace is at the risk of occurrence of a typhoon in the region of Eastern Asia. The typical occurrence of typhoons in the Northwest Pacific Ocean takes place between the month of May to October.
Typhoons are the more severe form of cyclones, and usually, they occur in the northwest Pacific ocean in the countries like China, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Typhoons are hundreds of miles wide and can last up to a month. It is categorized according to the wind speed on a scale of 1 to 5. Windspeed can be up to 157 miles per hour or more.
Main Differences Between Hurricane and Typhoon
- The word hurricane is derived from a deity of Fire and Storms, the Mayan God, Huracán and the word typhoon is derived from the Greek word Typhon (which means whirlwind).
- Hurricanes occur less frequently, about 10-15 times a year, and typhoons occur about 25-30 times a year.
- Hurricanes occur in the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and eastern North Pacific, and typhoons occur in the Northwest Pacific.
- Hurricanes are less intense, but typhoons are generally stronger than hurricanes.
- Popular hurricane names include Irene, Igor and Paloma and popular typhoon names include Haiyan, Bopha and Ike.
Conclusion
Both typhoons and hurricanes are tropical storms having a wind speed equal to or higher than seventy-four miles per hour. They consist of rotating and organized cloud systems, thunderstorms, and high-speed wind. The former’s location is in the Northwest Pacific region, while the latter is found in the Central and Eastern North Pacific.
Both of the storms are very strong and powerful and disturb the human habitat once it hits the land. The meteorological department issues weather alerts in such situations and prepares in advance to minimize the damages.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167610514002669
- https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/mwre/143/2/mwr-d-14-00227.1.xml