International Cyclone Definitions
Updated July 7, 2021 |
Infoplease Staff
Hurricanes, Typhoons, and More
A “tropical cyclone” is the generic term for a giant whirlwind with storm activity surrounding a low-pressure center over tropical or subtropical waters. The terms “hurricane” and “typhoon” are regionally specific names for strong tropical cyclones. While the categories used don't match exactly, the following table is a rough guide for comparing the names given to storms in different parts of the world.
| U.S. name | U.S. Saffir- Simpson Category Scale | NW Pacific | Arabian Sea/ Bay of Bengal | SW Indian Ocean | South Pacific (East of 160E) | Australian name | Australian category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression | — | Tropical Depression | Depression or Severe Depression | Tropical Depression | Tropical Depression | Tropical Low | — |
| Tropical Storm | — | Tropical Storm | Cyclonic Storm | Moderate Tropical Storm | Tropical Cyclone (Gale) | Tropical Cyclone | 1 |
| Tropical Storm | — | Severe Tropical Storm | Severe Cyclonic Storm | Severe Tropical Storm | Tropical Cyclone (Storm) | Tropical Cyclone | 2 |
| Hurricane | 1 | Typhoon | Very Severe Cyclonic Storm | Tropical Cyclone | Hurricane | Severe Tropical Cyclone | 3 |
| Hurricane/Major Hurricane | 2–3 | Typhoon | Very Severe Cyclonic Storm | Intense Tropical Cyclone | Hurricane | Severe Tropical Cyclone | 4 |
| Major Hurricane | 4–5 | Typhoon/ Super Typhoon | Super Cyclonic Storm | Very Intense Tropical Cyclone | Hurricane | Severe Tropical Cyclone | 5 |
Source: Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology.
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