The most obvious difference between tornadoes and hurricanes is that they have drastically different scales. The winds of a tornado are driven by a clash of air pressures and temperatures. Hurricane versus Tornado comparison chart; Hurricane Tornado; About: A hurricane is a cyclone that is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, or the NE Pacific Ocean east of the International Date Line, or the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E, and with sustained winds that reach or exceed 74 mph. Cyclone Vs. Tornado. The only difference between a hurricane and a typhoon is the location where the storm occurs. A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone with sustained winds. Tweet. Hurricane vs. Tornado. These winds are accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning and exceed 74 mph. Video: Forecast Track Map for severe tropical cyclone Yasi.
If the terms like cyclone, hurricane, typhoon, tornado, and twister tend to leave you confused, here is some information on cyclone (aka hurricane or typhoon) vs tornado (aka twister), with reference to how they differ from each other, which will help you get rid of all this confusion. Cyclones and tornadoes have vastly different durations. Eventually, the cooler, drier air overpowers the hotter, moist air and the clash between them dies down. Because Cyclones are formed in tropical regions, cyclones are accompanied by rain.

From news coverage from the United States one gets the impression that Tornados are very destructive, so I have often wondered what is the difference between a Tornado or a Cyclone? More information. Cyclone is a large-scale air mass that circulates around a center of low atmospheric pressure. Technically, a cyclone is any kind of circular wind storm. Being in Australia, we get a quite a few Cyclones a year ranging from Northern Western Australia to far North Queensland. They form under different circumstances and have different impacts on the environment. It is important to know the difference between cyclone and tornado in order to learn how to be safe from them.
This causes the storm to subside, usually in a matter of minutes. The National Ocean Service helps coastal communities prepare for and recover from major coastal storms such as hurricanes. Hurricanes and Tornadoes are extremely strong horizontal winds. Tornadoes are "small-scale circulations", the largest observed horizontal dimensions in the most severe cases being on the order of 1 to 1.5 miles.

Cyclones are low pressure systems in the Northern part of the world. Tornadoes, on the other hand, can come with heavy rainfalls, but also hail and sleet.

What is the difference between cyclone, hurricane, tornado and twister? The last difference between a cyclone and a tornado is the weather that they bring. Difference between Cyclone and Tornado. A close-up satellite image of Hurricane Isabel taken on Sept. 15, 2003. Tornado is a rotating column of air accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud that progresses in a narrow path over the land. A cyclone is generally defined in meteorology as an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. It is a generic term and a cyclone can develop very strong winds. Were hope that we were able to shed some light on the confusion over tornadoes and cyclones. A tornado is a whirling column of air ranging in width from a few yards to more than a mile. Tropical cyclones; Tropical cyclone warning services; NOAA National Hurricane Centre; Image at left: Strong tornado near the highway between Nimmitabel and Cooma, New South Wales, 2008. Key Difference: Cyclones are considered as oceanic phenomena, while tornadoes can occur over land as well as water. Photograph courtesy of Heather Leckie.