So why is it called a tropical cyclone instead of a hurricane??

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - So why is it called a tropical cyclone instead of a hurricane??

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:20:41 AM EDT

The storm that hit Australia....Looks like a hurricane to me on radar. Wind speeds of 180MPH. So why is it a tropical cyclone and not a hurricane???

Link

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:23:23 AM EDT

[#1]

Just what they are called in the Pacific.

Don't know why.....

Why is a rose called a rose?

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:33:01 AM EDT

[#2]

Well Hurricanes are Typhoons in the Pacific. But this is a cyclone. There has got to be a reason.

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:33:51 AM EDT

[#3]

I believe a cyclone means it is in the southen hemisphere below the equator

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:36:29 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
I believe a cyclone means it is in the southen hemisphere below the equator

oops, I think you're right.

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:40:30 AM EDT

[#5]

They should be coming out of their hurricane(to us) season by now.
*runs to check the global sat pic*

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:44:52 AM EDT

[#6]

The Bureau of Meteorology on Monday upgraded the cyclone to a Category 5 _ the strongest category possible _ shortly before it crossed the coast, but then lowered it to a Category 3 as the storm crossed land and weakened, with wind gusts up to 125 mph

Katrina anyone?

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:49:01 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Katrina anyone?

No thanks. Katrina is the reason my silly ass is unemployed and back in Dallas.

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:51:44 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
The storm that hit Australia....Looks like a hurricane to me on radar. Wind speeds of 180MPH. So why is it a tropical cyclone and not a hurricane???

Link

Different part of the world. Just like how over in England a flashlight is a torch and a headlight is a lamp. Fish and chips is fish and french fries and cookies are bisquits...

Posted: 3/20/2006 6:36:25 AM EDT

[#9]

Unless I'm mistaken, I think cyclones also rotate in a counterclockwise motion whereas hurricanes (like katrina) rotate in a clockwise motion. Hence, another reason for the different names.

Or, I may have it backwards or totally and completely wrong.

Can I get a job with the weather channel?

Stepahnie abrams is hawt.

Posted: 3/20/2006 6:44:04 AM EDT

[#10]

Same thing, different name. Hurricane = Cyclone = Typhoon

Posted: 3/20/2006 7:13:01 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Unless I'm mistaken, I think cyclones also rotate in a counterclockwise motion whereas hurricanes (like katrina) rotate in a clockwise motion. Hence, another reason for the different names.

Or, I may have it backwards or totally and completely wrong.Can I get a job with the weather channel?Stepahnie abrams is hawt.

You're right. No you can't have a job with the weather channel.

Posted: 3/20/2006 7:23:10 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Unless I'm mistaken, I think cyclones also rotate in a counterclockwise motion whereas hurricanes (like katrina) rotate in a clockwise motion. Hence, another reason for the different names.

Oh, so that's the difference. That makes sense, I'll buy that. Thanks.

Posted: 3/20/2006 7:25:03 AM EDT

[#13]

/

Posted: 3/20/2006 7:37:53 AM EDT

[#14]

From this website:

"The terms "hurricane" and "typhoon" are regionally specific names for
a strong "tropical cyclone". A tropical cyclone is the generic term for a
non-frontal synoptic scale low-pressure system over tropical or sub-
tropical waters with organized convection (i.e. thunderstorm activity)
and definite cyclonic surface wind circulation (Holland 1993)."

Posted: 3/20/2006 7:48:26 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Well Hurricanes are Typhoons in the Pacific. But this is a cyclone. There has got to be a reason.

Because it's in the Indian Ocean.

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:30:33 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Unless I'm mistaken, I think cyclones also rotate in a counterclockwise motion whereas hurricanes (like katrina) rotate in a clockwise motion. Hence, another reason for the different names.

Or, I may have it backwards or totally and completely wrong.Can I get a job with the weather channel?Stepahnie abrams is hawt.

You're right. No you can't have a job with the weather channel.

No. All lows rotate cyclonically, that is counter-clockwise. At least in the Northern Hemisphere - I don't know if the coriolis force applies to weather systems.

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:33:22 PM EDT

[#17]

For a real world example flush your toilet it swirls in one directiion in the northern hemisphere and swirls in the other direction in the southern hemisphere. Check with the wife tell her you need to take a vacation to Australia just to flush a toilet.

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:36:46 PM EDT

[#18]

hurricane=typhoon=cyclone. it's a matter of geography.

the national hurricane center (US) tracks the the whole atlantic/carribean, gulf of mexico and the pacific out to 140 degrees west longitude in the northern hemisphere. Any storms that appear in that jurisdiction are known as "hurricanes"

anything in the northern hemisphere west of 140 is known by the chinese (original language i think) name of "typhoon" and anything in the southern hemisphere takes the british (because of australia and other british colonies in the area) name of "cyclone"

to further complicate matters, the blanket term for all these storms is "tropical cyclone" and the names listed above are regional terms.

to FURTHER complicate things, a "hurricane" can become a "typhoon" by crossing 140W. tracking of the storm is handed off from the US NHC to their asian equilivent.

a tropical cyclone can NOT cross into the southern hemisphere from the northern one though. the corriolis force that gives the cyclones their spin reverses, and would tear the storm appart. cyclones in the southern hemisphere spin clockwise, while cyclones in the northern hemisphere spin COUNTER clockwise.

does your head hurt yet?

edited to correct the spin direction

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:37:54 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
For a real world example flush your toilet it swirls in one directiion in the northern hemisphere and swirls in the other direction in the southern hemisphere.

ummm.....not true.

Unless your toilet bowl is a 1000 miles across.

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:54:52 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
hurricane=typhoon=cyclone. it's a matter of geography.

the national hurricane center (US) tracks the the whole atlantic/carribean, gulf of mexico and the pacific out to 140 degrees west longitude in the northern hemisphere. Any storms that appear in that jurisdiction are known as "hurricanes"

anything in the northern hemisphere west of 140 is known by the chinese (original language i think) name of "typhoon" and anything in the southern hemisphere takes the british (because of australia and other british colonies in the area) name of "cyclone"

to further complicate matters, the blanket term for all these storms is "tropical cyclone" and the names listed above are regional terms.

to FURTHER complicate things, a "hurricane" can become a "typhoon" by crossing 140W. tracking of the storm is handed off from the US NHC to their asian equilivent.

a tropical cyclone can NOT cross into the southern hemisphere from the northern one though. the corriolis force that gives the cyclones their spin reverses, and would tear the storm appart. cyclones in the northern hemisphere spin clockwise, while cyclones in the southern hemisphere spin COUNTER clockwise.

does your head hurt yet?

Cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere spin counterclockwise.

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:56:31 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere spin counterclockwise.

you're right, i got turned around backwards. editing original post........

Posted: 3/20/2006 7:25:14 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Quoted:
For a real world example flush your toilet it swirls in one directiion in the northern hemisphere and swirls in the other direction in the southern hemisphere.

ummm.....not true.

Unless your toilet bowl is a 1000 miles across.

You must have one of those new fangled low water 1 gallon flush jobs.

Posted: 3/20/2006 7:37:39 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Unless I'm mistaken, I think cyclones also rotate in a counterclockwise motion whereas hurricanes (like katrina) rotate in a clockwise motion. Hence, another reason for the different names.

Or, I may have it backwards or totally and completely wrong.Can I get a job with the weather channel?Stepahnie abrams is hawt.

yeah they rotate in opposite directions as a result of coreallis force