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Difference Between Cyclone and Hurricane

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Last updated date: 29th Mar 2024
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What is the Difference Between a Cyclone and a Hurricane?

Many people think that both cyclones and hurricanes are the same. Well, they do cause harm, but their formation and mechanism are different. This article will let you know the difference between hurricanes and cyclones in brief.


Both of the terms are very important to learn. Both are different from one another. Cyclone is a stormy atmospheric condition that promotes destruction as of its potential. Due to the instability in atmospheric conditions, the generation of the cyclone is possible.


The cyclone has different names based on different regions and severity. Hurricanes are one of the types that come under the category list of cyclones.


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What is the Difference Between a Hurricane and a Cyclone?

Both the cyclone and hurricane are based on simple facts and weather changes. These are the type of tropical cyclones that can cause chaos as they possess higher wind speed and promote floods with higher rain.


They are formed in the deep place of the ocean Water. The conditions that help the Cyclone to grow into its full form are available in the ocean.  


Do You Know What They are?

Heat and moisture: These two factors' involvement makes the Cyclone big enough to work as havoc. Hurricanes are common in tropical areas of the earth. Due to random weather changes, ocean heat and vapour promote the birth of hurricanes. The places where the atmospheric pressure is the lowest, that's the eye of a hurricane. Hurricanes are part of cyclones. Both are different in their terms. The tabular format will show you the diff between a hurricane and a cyclone:


Cyclones

Hurricanes

The air that is traveling rapidly and circulating around a point where the pressure is low and after the passage of time is accompanied by destructive weather is termed as a cyclone.

A simple explanation of a hurricane is that it is a cyclone with varaible speeds reaching very high after the passage of time.

In the northern hemisphere, counter-clockwise rotation is the spin of a cyclone whereas clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

In the southern hemisphere, the clockwise rotation of a hurricane is seen. In the northern hemisphere, it is seen as counterclockwise rotation

Beaufort scale is a scale that is applicable for measuring cyclones. This tool is very much capable of measuring high-speed cyclones that are up to 300 k/h.

Different scales are used to measure hurricanes. Geologists are measuring a hurricane with the intensity of the overall damage. It may lie between 1 to 5. 

The Pacific Ocean regions are the most affected by cyclones.

The Caribbean Sea region is the most affected region due to hurricanes. 

Cyclones’ frequencies are near 10-14 every year.

Hurricanes’ frequencies are probably around 10-15 every year.


Factors that Affect Cyclone and Hurricane

As both cyclones and hurricanes (part of the cyclones) are water-based natural tragedies, geologists and physicists need to understand water properties. This becomes the most important when you try to find out why it expands to this much. Also, they try to comprehend how cyclones and hurricanes work.


Are you looking for the factors that differentiate a cyclone from a hurricane? The answer is very simple. The lone difference between hurricanes and cyclones is the geographical location. Location and atmospheric conditions are the factors for these two calamities. 

The presence of a tropical system is found in the following oceans: 

  • In the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific oceans, the natural disaster caused by the atmospheric change is called a hurricane. 

  • In the north Indian Ocean, the name of the natural disaster caused by the atmospheric change is called a cyclone.


Disasters

Life is extremely unpredictable. Human life is constantly subjected to the perils of nature for human miscalculations. when death and destruction occur on a large scale during natural or human activities is called a disaster.  A disaster is an event that occurs suddenly and causes the loss of human life and property. It disturbs the environment and leads to economic loss.  awareness and preparedness are important to cope with disaster and disaster effects of the functioning of the society. Some disasters like floods and earthquakes have immediate effects on the surroundings. while others like drought have less impact initially but the effects can be severe over time. Disasters can be categorized as natural and manmade disasters.


Types of disasters

  • Natural disasters

  • Man-Made Disasters.

Natural disasters are caused by nature which is powerful and uncontrollable and occur suddenly. These events occur due to Earth's natural processes. such disasters can cause damage to life and property. It is very difficult to recover the losses and rebuild communities after natural disasters. Floods, earthquakes, drought cyclones, landslides, volcanic eruptions, sinkholes and tsunamis are some of the examples of natural disasters.


Cyclones are caused by atmospheric disturbances around low-pressure areas. winds with a great speed move towards the intense low-pressure area as known as the eye of the cyclone. The edge of the cyclonic eye is called the wall of cyst, the ion of devastating winds. strong winds having great speed circulate the centre causing violent storms. They occur in the warm oceans in tropical and temperate regions of the world. cyclonic winds blow in the anticlockwise direction in the Northern hemisphere and a clockwise direction in the southern hemisphere. These winds cause great Havoc and large-scale destruction. cyclones are Storms known by different names in different parts of the world


Typhoons in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, hurricanes in the Atlantic ocean, and  North Eastern Pacific Ocean cyclones in the Indian Ocean.

FAQs on Difference Between Cyclone and Hurricane

1. Why is India subjected to cyclones?

The Indian subcontinent is among the worst cyclone-hit regions of the world. it is exposed to nearly 10% of the world's tropical cyclones. Most of the cyclones originate in the Bay of Bengal accounting for 5 to 6 cyclones every year of which two or three could be severe. The damages caused by cyclones depend on their intensity, location and size. cyclones damage buildings, power, infrastructure, communication, Towers, hospitals, food storage facilities, roads, bridges and crops.

2. Can cyclones be helpful for us?

Cyclones are devastating and leave everything in a mess.  But there are some good aspects of cyclones too. The Earth's atmosphere gets heated up especially in tropical areas as Sun rays are almost perpendicular making them extremely hot.

  

Cyclones are a relief to these areas by reducing the temperature of heat and maintaining balance in the environment. They also help to balance global heat. They Replenish barrier islands, inland plant life. They also help in spreading plant seeds to the various other parts. More knowledge about cyclones can be taken from vedantu’s app and website which has carefully curated study material that will help students in getting full information about cyclones.

3. How are Cyclones Formed?

The form of cyclones takes place in low-pressure areas. The susceptibility of the place where the cyclone strikes depends on the topography, intensity, and frequency of the cyclone. 6 factors can be held responsible for the formation of the cyclone:

  1. Ample amount of warm temperature at the surface of the sea.

  2. Instability in the atmosphere.

  3.  forces impacting the area so that low-pressure can be created.

  4. When the humidity is high in the lower to middle levels of the troposphere.

  5. Disturbance in the pre-existing low-level area.

  6. When the upright wind shear is low.

4. What things should be avoided by someone who lives in a cyclone-prone area?

People in cyclone-prone areas undergo a lot of discomfort during the cyclone hence they have to avoid some things to keep the situation  intact:

  • Don't be misled by rumors.

  •  Don’t leave roofs until informed by the rescue crew.

  •  Don’t leave the safer place during a lull, however, minor rehabilitation can be carried out.

  •  Don’t touch the loose and hanging wire from the lamp post, it may have 

  • An electric current.

  • Be patient and keep your surroundings clean as damp areas are susceptible to disease. Cooperate with Rescue teams.

  • Don't panic if the situation gets worse.

  • Help children and rescue teams in their operations and try to be strong and responsible humans.

5. Why are Eastern Ghats of India cyclones-affected?

The states in the Eastern Ghats like Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu experience severe cyclones every year. The reason These areas are affected is that they lie in the eastern coastal area of our country.  These areas are very close to the Bay of Bengal so they are always affected by cyclones. Nearly 10 to 15 cyclones are affected in These areas every year. the location of these States, their geographical existence leads to this. Hence these areas receive a lot of rainfall every year, sometimes getting over flooded resulting in damage of crops, overflowing of rivers and loss of human property and cattle.