What is a tropical cyclone?

Answer 1

It is the same thing as a hurricane except it is in the southern Pacific ocean and the winds turn in reverse.

Answer 2

Good question and you have a bunch of answers but none of which are precise in their definition. So here is the scientific or technical definition. First of all, their is no "stage" of development called tropical cyclone. The stages of development are Tropical Disturbance (or tropical wave - a large unorganized area of convective cloudiness which is monitored for further development), Tropical Depression (which is numbered with winds between 20 and 34 knots and a defined circulation), Tropical Storm (with winds between 35 and 64 knots. At this stage the storm is given a name and approximately 25 % of these have well defined eyes), Hurricane (or Typhoon or Cyclone with winds in excess of 64 knots and having a well defined eye). With this as background we can say definitively that a tropical cyclone is a hurricane stage storm called a cyclone only in the Indian Ocean.

Answer 3

Tropical revolving storms are called hurricanes in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans; typhoons in the South China Sea; and tropical cyclones (not cyclones) in the Indian and south Pacific oceans.

The name "tropical cyclone" is correct but it is often abbreviated to "cyclone". Technically a cyclone is any low pressure system and an anticyclone is any high pressure system.

They are intense low pressure systems with central pressures below 1000hPa and mean wind speeds near the centre of hurricane force, 63knots. They form in the tropics where sea surface temperatures are in excess of 26°C.

Added: I am sorry, 1ofSelby, but you are wrong. "Tropical Cyclone" is the correct term for tropical revolving storms in the Indian and south Pacific oceans. I should know, I have been working with them for decades in the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia. The name is often abbreviated to "Cyclone" which is unfortunate as we cannot use the word "cyclone" for anything else and similarly, we can't use "anticyclone" either in case we confuse the public.

Answer 4

A tropical cyclone is a storm that develops in the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and the Carribean Sea. They are generally steered by upper air movement.

Answer 5

a tropical cyclone is the same thing as a hurricane. it is really a tropical storm. it could be worse than a catergory 5 hurricane

Answer 6

Its a cyclonic tropical thingy ma jib

Answer 7

a cyclone in te tropics?

Answer 8

Hurricane, typhoon, or just cyclone depending on where the storm is.

Answer 9

A BIG swirling wind in the tropics.

Answer 10

Same thing as a hurricane.