The Difference Between Typhoon, Hurricane and Cyclone

Typhoon season is here again. Just this July, Philippines have been ravaged by few destructvie typhoons leaving affected regions with destroyed houses and livelihood and even killed loved ones.

But so much for the seriousness of this issue.

I was asked once why storm in the Philippines are called typhoon and not hurricane like in the US. Although not so sure, I answered the question only to find out later that I was indeed correct.

Typhoons, hurricanes and cyclones are all one and the same, STORMS. But the only difference with the three of them is there location of origin.

If the storm develops in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Ocean, it will be called hurricane. So all storms that will bring damage to the US are called hurricanes like Hurricane Katrina. If the storm will originate in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, it will be called typhoon. And this might bring damage mostly to islands in Guam, Japan and the Philippines like Typhoon Ondoy. Winds from typhoons are more stronger and dangerous than hurricanes.

Cyclones are storms that develops in the Southwestern Pacific and Indian Oceans.