What Is the Difference in a Wave & a Depression?
When people talk about a wave and a depression, they're most likely referring to hurricanes. Most hurricanes start out as tropical waves, for example. They may then become tropical depressions or larger storms, eventually growing in size and speed incrementally.
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Tropical Wave
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Warm and cold air sometimes cause atmospheric changes. These weather changes can cause strong winds to blow. A tropical wave may result when winds from atmospheric disturbances come from multiple directions -- generally from east to west.
Tropical Depression
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A tropical depression usually happens over a small or more confined area. In contrast to a tropical wave, which spans over a larger area with winds at only 20 to 25 miles per hour, a tropical depression may have winds at approximately twice those speeds. Most have winds less than 40 miles per hour, however.
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High and Low Pressure
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High pressure systems are more stable and generally live longer than low pressure systems. While air from high pressure systems generally descends to earth, low pressure systems are caused when hot air rises upward. Tropical depressions happen in low pressure systems.
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