Learn the difference between hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons

KGO logo
The difference between a cyclone, typhoon and hurricane is not what you expect
Ever wonder what is the difference between a hurricane and cyclone? The answer isn't what you expect.

If you've ever wondered what separates hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons from one another, the only difference is that they happen in different geographical locations.

"We call a tropical system a hurricane in the Atlantic and northeast Pacific. In the northern Indian ocean, they're called cyclones. And people living along the northwest Pacific call these storms typhoons," according to AccuWeather.

Aside from where these storms take place, they all are the same weather phenomenon. The only time when a hurricane would become a typhoon is if the storm crossed the International Date Line at 180 degrees west longitude. This happened recently in 2014, when Hurricane Genevieve crossed this line and became Typhoon Genevieve.

Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.