Weather experts: is this true?

Question

My coworker says that a hurricane is only called a hurricane if it develops over the Atlantic Ocean. Over the Pacific is called a typhoon. Is this true?

If so, then why is Flossie being called a hurricane? Is it media hype, post-Katrina?

That's how this question came up.

Answer 1

That is true, but they're all the same. They're actually called Tropical Cyclones around the world, but in the Atlantic Basin they're called Hurricanes, and in the Pacific Basin, they're called Typhoons. Now, Flossie was categorized as a Hurricane even though it was located in the Pacific Ocean probably because of it's landfall in Hawaii. They were calling it a hurricane even before it hit Hawaii. I think meteorologists call tropical cyclones, hurricanes, if they're close to the States or are making landfall in the West coast of the U.S., but if its far off to like Japan or Taiwan or China then it'll be known as a Typhoon.

P.S. Hurricanes category 3 + are called MAJOR hurricanes. Typhoons that are similiar to a MAJOR hurricane's, strength category 3 or above (111 mph + ), are called Super Typhoons.

Answer 2

A hurricane is called a hurricane in the Atlantic and Pacific
A typhoon is called a typhoon in the China are

Answer 3

From the National Hurricane Center's website:

Hurricane / Typhoon:
A tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind (using the U.S. 1-minute average) is 64 kt (74 mph or 119 km/hr) or more. The term hurricane is used for Northern Hemisphere tropical cyclones east of the International Dateline to the Greenwich Meridian. The term typhoon is used for Pacific tropical cyclones north of the Equator west of the International Dateline.

In other words, it's a hurricane in the East Pacific and a typhoon in the West Pacific.

Answer 4

They are called hurricanes in the atlantic and east pacific (out to 140°). So Flossie formed in the east pacific and is therefore a hurricane.

Answer 5

Deflagrated is correct. East of 140 degrees in the Pacific, we refer to them as hurricanes. Flossie was named in this region. It crossed into the western Pacific, but it's origin was east of 140 so it remained a "hurricane."

Answer 6

A hurricane is a violent, tropical, cyclonic storm of the western North Atlantic, having wind speeds of or in excess of 72 mph (32 m/sec).

A typhoon is a tropical cyclone or hurricane of the western Pacific area and the China seas.

PS. In Australia they are called "willy-willy" (I kid you not)

Answer 7

They are called typhoons over the western Pacific (China, Japan, etc.) and hurricanes over the eastern Pacific.

Answer 8

Just thought I would throw my two cents in, since other answerers already gave the right answer. In the Indian Ocean these storms are called cyclones. But hurricanes, typhoons, willy-willys and cyclones are all different names for the same thing.

Answer 9

not an expert but there is a hurricane in the Pacific right now near the Hawaii Islands. Tell you friend to look it up
Watch TV or read a newspaper and it will prove you as correct.

Answer 10

That is true though they are identical storms formed the same way. I am not sure the origin of the names however.