A tornado and a typhoon are both types of storms, but they are not the same. A tornado is a type of hurricane that forms over land, while a typhoon is a type of hurricane that forms over water. Tornadoes are more common in North America, while typhoons are more common in Asia. Typhoons are also stronger than tornadoes.
What is Tornado?
A tornado is a powerful, rotating column of air that forms under conditions of extreme atmospheric instability. Tornadoes can occur anywhere in the world, but they are most common in the United States, where an average of 1,200 tornadoes touch down each year. These destructive storms typically form when warm, moist air collides with cold, dry air, creating an area of instability in the atmosphere.
As the warm air rises and the cold air sinks, the resulting updraft begins to spin, gradually increasing in speed until it forms a whirling column of air. When this column makes contact with the ground, it can cause widespread damage, uprooting trees, demolishing buildings, and throwing cars and other objects through the air.
What is Typhoon?
- Typhoons are a type of tropical cyclone that typically form over the western Pacific Ocean. They are usually characterized by very strong winds, heavy rains, and large waves. Typhoons often cause significant damage to coastal areas, as well as inland areas if they make landfall.
- In recent years, there have been several major typhoons that have caused widespread destruction and loss of life. Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines in 2013, was one of the strongest typhoons on record and caused massive damage to the country.
- More recently, Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan in 2015, causing extensive flooding and mudslides. Thankfully, early warning systems and evacuation procedures have improved in recent years, helping to minimize the loss of life from these devastating storms.
Difference between Tornado and Typhoon
There are many different types of severe weather, and it can be difficult to keep them all straight. Two of the most commonly confused terms are tornado and typhoon. Both are powerful storms that can cause extensive damage, but they have some key differences.
- Tornadoes are relatively small storms that form over land. They typically have a diameter of less than one mile, and they occur when warm air collides with cold air.
- This creates a rotating column of air that extends from the base of a thunderstorm down to the ground. As the column of air rotates, it picks up debris and forms a funnel-shaped cloud. When the funnel touches the ground, it is called a tornado.
- Typhoons, on the other hand, are much larger storms that form over water. They can have diameters of hundreds of miles, and they occur when warm ocean water evaporates and condenses into a cloud.
The rising column of warm air creates low pressure at the surface, which sucks in surrounding air. This spiraling motion continues until the column of air reaches a high altitude, at which point the typhoon develops eye wall clouds and an organized circulation.
Conclusion
Although these storms are both classified as hurricanes, they have different effects on the areas around them. A tornado is more likely to cause damage to buildings and other structures, while a typhoon can uproot trees and destroy homes. It is important to be aware of the risks associated with each type of storm so that you can take appropriate precautions.
