BACK TO tropical cyclone
tropical cyclone vs. hurricane
[ trop-i-kuhl sahy-klohn ]
noun
- a warm-core cyclone that originates over a tropical ocean area, generally beginning as a tropical depression and having the potential to intensify and develop into a hurricane or typhoon, classifications that depend on where the storm is occurring.
[ hur-i-keyn, huhr- or, especially British, -kuhn ]
noun
- a tropical cyclone of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, or eastern Pacific Ocean, having sustained wind speeds of at least 64 knots (74 miles per hour, 33 meters per second): hurricanes form in waters with surface temperatures of about 80°F (27°C), intensifying as temperatures rise.
- anything characterized by a turmoil of force or activity, suggestive of a hurricane: As our helicopter got closer to the canyon, a hurricane of wild horses took off in all directions, kicking up clouds of dust that impaired the pilot’s vision.
- a single-seat British fighter plane of World War II, fitted with eight .303 caliber machine guns and with a top speed in excess of 300 miles per hour (480 kilometers per hour).