Of Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones

Did you know that hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones are actually all the same type of storm, but have different names based on where they form.

In the North Atlantic and central and eastern North Pacific, these storms are called “hurricanes.”

In the western North Pacific, they are called “typhoons”.

In the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, they are called “cyclones.” (Tropical cyclones are rare in the South Atlantic.)

Once a storm escalates to tropical storm-level winds, it is given a name. The names are chosen by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organizationoffsite link (WMO). Names are reused every six years, although the WMO may retire the name of a particularly deadly or costly storm.

Sources: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/weather-atmosphere/hurricanes#:~:text=In%20the%20North%20Atlantic%20and,rare%20in%20the%20South%20Atlantic.)