To understand the difference between Cyclones and Hurricanes, first, we want to know these terms and their meaning exactly. These two are different from each other, but still, people always confuse one with the opposite. Cyclones are mainly atmospheric conditions, which are stormy and possess power for destruction. Due to instability in atmospheric conditions cyclones form. Therefore, hurricanes are a form of tropical cyclone. Hurricanes can wreak havoc because of their high winds, rains, and floods. The most factor in the difference between cyclones the hurricanes is that the geographical location during which they occur.
What Are Cyclones?
Cyclone term is relating to the spinning storm which rotates around the low-pressure center. This low-pressure center is additionally popular because of the ‘eye’ of the storm. It’s well known for being eerily calm compared with the areas under the spinning arms of the storm. Cyclones are considered e stormy atmospheric systems.
An anticyclone is the opposite of a cyclone. An anticyclone’s winds rotate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere around a center of high pressure. Air comes in from above and sinks to the ground. High-pressure centers generally have fair weather.
Cyclones are mainly atmospheric conditions, which are stormy and possess power for destruction. These are happening because of the instability in atmospheric conditions. Supported on the region and severity of stormy conditions, storms are also termed typhoons or hurricanes. The term ‘cyclone’ mainly refers to different types of storms. They happen in different places. Their types are Tropical cyclones, Polar cyclones, and Mesocyclone.
Tropical waves are due to low-pressure troughs moving generally westward with the trade winds. Tropical Cyclone is the generic term for any organized low pressure which develops over the tropical and sub-tropical waters. Also, Tropical storms are tropical cyclones with maximum sustained wind speeds that range from 39 to 73 mph. Hurricanes are tropical cyclones with sustained winds of at least 74 mph.
What are the Hurricanes?
A hurricane is that the category of an enormous storm. It’s a special cyclone. It may be up to 600 miles across. Also, it has strong winds spiraling inward and upward at hurries up to 200 mph. usually, a hurricane lasts for over a week. They are getting heat and energy through contact with the warm water of the ocean.
The evaporation of seawater increases their power. They rotate in an anticlockwise direction around an “eye” in the Northern Hemisphere. Whereas they rotate clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere. They can do huge damage due to heavy rain, strong winds, and huge waves.
The warm seas create a large humid air mass. The warm air rises and forms a low-pressure cell, known as a tropical depression. Thunderstorms materialize around the tropical depression. If the temperature reaches or exceeds 28 degrees C (82 degrees F) the air begins to rotate around the low pressure (counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere).
As the air rises, water vapor condenses, releasing energy from latent heat. If wind shear is low, the storm builds into a hurricane within two to three days. Hurricanes are huge with high winds. The exception is the relatively calm eye of the storm where the air is rising upward.
Rainfall can be as high as 2.5 cm (1″) per hour, resulting in about 20 billion metric tons of water being released daily in a hurricane. The release of latent heat generates enormous amounts of energy, nearly the total annual electrical power consumption of the United States from one storm. Hurricanes can also generate tornadoes.
do check our article about Different Types of Rainfall
Difference Between Cyclones and Hurricanes
| Cyclones | Hurricanes |
|---|---|
| It is an atmospheric system of rapidly circulating air having a low-pressure center and accompanied by stormy and destructive weather. | It is a type of cyclone which is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, with varying high speeds reaching it. |
| Rotation | |
| Its rotation is clockwise in the southern hemisphere, but anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere. | Its rotation is clockwise in the southern hemisphere, but anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere |
| Intensity | |
| Commonly quite strong intensity. | Hurricanes are classified into five categories, as per the intensity. |
| Frequency | |
| It happens around 10-14 every year. | It happens around 10-15 every year. |
| Location | |
| It is probable in the Southern Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean. | It is probable in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeast Pacific Ocean. |
Conclusion
What made Hurricane Sandy different from most tropical storms was how powerful it was so late in the hurricane season. The concern is that as the planet warms from anthropogenic (human-enhanced) climate change, the oceans will likely warm up allow hurricanes to become stronger, travel farther toward the poles, and the hurricane season last longer. This is about the differences between cyclones and hurricanes.
