Hurricanes Vs. Typhoons

A Hurricane

Hurricanes and typhoons are different names for tropical cyclones, which are tropical storms with sustained surface winds that exceed 74 mph.

Location

When a storm of this type occurs in the Western Hemisphere it is termed a hurricane. Typhoons are the name given to these storms when they occur in the Eastern Hemisphere, usually in the western Pacific.

Damages Caused

Hurricanes regularly cause more damage than typhoons because of their tendency to pass over more populated land masses.

Global Warming Implications

There is some scientific evidence that suggests that the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and typhoons is increasing due to global warming and its effects on surface water temperatures, which drive the storms.

Categorization

Hurricanes are classified as category 1 through 5 based on the maximum sustained wind speed. Category 1 is the lowest with speeds of 74-95 mph and a category 5 has winds of over 155 mph. Category 5 typhoons have winds of over 114 mph.

Most Damaging Storms

Many hurricanes and typhoons have caused incredible damage. Some notable storms are Hurricane Katrina, which caused an estimated $200 billion in damages along the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, and the Ise-wan Typhoon, which killed more than 5,000 people in Japan in 1959.

References

• Differences
• Global warming