What is a typhoon?
What are typhoons? And what about cyclones?
The answer is that they are generally the same storm system, but the difference lies in where they originate. Hurricanes are storm systems which originate in the Atlantic or East Pacific Oceans and make landfall all too regularly on the United States. Cyclones, on the other hand, are found in the South Pacific west of 160 degrees east longitude.
The term "cyclone" is sometimes a catch-all in the meteorological world for all three storm systems; adding to the average person's confusion. Typhoons are the same type of storm, but are found in the Western Pacific and thus plague Asian countries such as Philippines, Japan, China, and Taiwan. Typhoons are generally more powerful storms than their western counterparts, however, because storm systems that originate closer to the equator can build up the highest winds. This is due to a combination of factors which include air currents, ocean currents, and water temperature.
Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are very similar and are not to be confused with their distant cousin, the tornado (or "cyclone" as many call it in the U.S. Midwest, adding even more confusion). All three storms develop over warm water and can last many days, as opposed to a tornado, which develops on land and is short-lived.
Here's an interesting fact: Did you know that the wind patterns change depending on which side of the equator the storm originates? When a storm is north of the equator, it rotates in a clockwise pattern and south of the equator is in a counterclockwise pattern. Did you also know that the same pattern develops when you flush a toilet or drain a bathtub? Sounds like reason enough for Americans to visit Australia-just to see your motel's john flush opposite of your own back home.
Typhoon Chan-Hom, Thursday, May 7, 2009 - Hit La Union about 8.30pm at night..
was a wild ride.
Typhoon Chan-Hom (Emong) over Dagupan City, PH | The News is NowPublic.com
The answer is that they are generally the same storm system, but the difference lies in where they originate. Hurricanes are storm systems which originate in the Atlantic or East Pacific Oceans and make landfall all too regularly on the United States. Cyclones, on the other hand, are found in the South Pacific west of 160 degrees east longitude.
The term "cyclone" is sometimes a catch-all in the meteorological world for all three storm systems; adding to the average person's confusion. Typhoons are the same type of storm, but are found in the Western Pacific and thus plague Asian countries such as Philippines, Japan, China, and Taiwan. Typhoons are generally more powerful storms than their western counterparts, however, because storm systems that originate closer to the equator can build up the highest winds. This is due to a combination of factors which include air currents, ocean currents, and water temperature.
Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are very similar and are not to be confused with their distant cousin, the tornado (or "cyclone" as many call it in the U.S. Midwest, adding even more confusion). All three storms develop over warm water and can last many days, as opposed to a tornado, which develops on land and is short-lived.
Here's an interesting fact: Did you know that the wind patterns change depending on which side of the equator the storm originates? When a storm is north of the equator, it rotates in a clockwise pattern and south of the equator is in a counterclockwise pattern. Did you also know that the same pattern develops when you flush a toilet or drain a bathtub? Sounds like reason enough for Americans to visit Australia-just to see your motel's john flush opposite of your own back home.
Typhoon Chan-Hom, Thursday, May 7, 2009 - Hit La Union about 8.30pm at night..
was a wild ride.
Typhoon Chan-Hom (Emong) over Dagupan City, PH | The News is NowPublic.com
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