Typhoon vs. Hurricane

Typhoon and hurricane are names for the same storm. It is called a typhoon if it occurs in the West Pacific Ocean and a hurricane if it occurs in the North Atlantic Ocean or Eastern Pacific Ocean.

A typhoon is an extremely large, destructive storm that is comprised of winds exceeding 74 miles per hour. They generally begin over water (especially the western Pacific) and lose power once they move over land. They are usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning. Their strength is measured from 1 to 5 on a scale called the Saffir-Simpson scale or the Japan Meteorological Agency typhoon scale.

A hurricane is an extremely large, destructive storm that is comprised of winds exceeding 74 miles per hour. They generally begin over water (especially the western Atlantic) and lose power once they move over land. They are usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning. Their strength is measured from 1 to 5 on a scale called the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Both storms are tropical cyclones and differ only in their location. Typhoons are somewhat stronger and more frequent than hurricanes because of the warmer water temperature of the Pacific.