Hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical cyclones are all names for the same meteorological phenomenon: a type of strong storm system characterized by low pressure, warm ocean waters, and organized thunderstorms. The primary differences among these terms arise from their geographic locations:
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Tropical Cyclone: This is the umbrella term used to describe a mature tropical storm system with organized convection (thunderstorms) and a defined circulation. It can occur in various ocean basins around the world.
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Hurricane: This term is used for tropical cyclones that occur in the Atlantic Ocean and the northeastern Pacific Ocean (east of the International Date Line). When a tropical cyclone reaches a sustained wind speed of at least 74 miles per hour (119 kilometers per hour), it is classified as a hurricane.
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Typhoon: This term refers to tropical cyclones that occur in the northwestern Pacific Ocean (west of the International Date Line). Like hurricanes, typhoons also have sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour.
In summary, the major distinction among these terms is based on the geographical region where the storm occurs, while they all refer to similar storm systems with the same characteristics.
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