Cyclone vs Tornado
Cyclone and Tornado are two furies of nature that show difference between them in terms of their nature and phenomenon. One of the main differences between cyclone and tornado is that cyclone develops over sheets of water. On the other hand, tornado develops over land. The most affected area with cyclone is the Pacific Ocean. Such a specific location cannot be given to tornados. Cyclones normally occur in warm areas. When it comes to tornados they occur in places where cold and warm fronts converge. There are more differences between cyclone and tornado, which will be discussed in this article.
What is a Cyclone?
Cyclones are characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anti clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the globe. There are six main types of cyclone. They are polar cyclones, polar lows, extra tropical cyclones, subtropical cyclones, tropical cyclones and mesocyclones. When it comes to the duration, a cyclone lasts for a longer time. The damage caused by a cyclone is not targeted in nature. It spreads across several parts of the ocean at the same time. This is the reason why the damage caused by a cyclone is well spread and even too.
A cyclone can cause fright in the minds of people as a cyclone too affects buildings and people in its path. Hence it is considered widespread. It is interesting to note that at times cyclone can lead to the development or the formation of tornado. Geographical experts feel that cyclone and tornado appear alike once a cyclone moves from the sheets of water and reaches land. This is probably the reason why cyclone is considered a geographic phenomenon that can pave the way for a tornado too. The frequency of cyclones is considered 10-14 per year.
What is a Tornado?
A tornado, on the other hand, is a rotating column of air that is dangerous and violent in nature. They come in many shapes as well. Tornados are of different types such as land spout tornado, multiple vortex tornados and waterspout tornado. A tornado is also clockwise in Southern Hemisphere and counter clockwise in Northern Hemisphere. It is quite true that a tornado can last for only a few minutes, but still the damage can be alarming. A tornado can cause instant damage to buildings, infrastructure and even people in minutes.
The damage caused by a tornado is sometimes greater when compared to the damage caused by a cyclone. It is also to note that the damage caused by a tornado is targeted in nature. However, a tornado is not capable of causing or developing a cyclone. It is important to know that tornadoes are observed on every continent except Antarctica. When, it comes to tornadoes, the United States records about 1200 tornados per year.
What is the difference between Cyclone and Tornado?
• Cyclone develops over sheets of water. On the other hand, tornado develops over land.
• Both of them differ in terms of their duration. Cyclone lasts for longer duration when compared to tornado.
• A cyclone can at times lead to the development or the formation of tornado. On the other hand, a tornado is not capable of causing or developing a cyclone. This is also an important difference between the two.
• There are six main types of cyclone. They are polar cyclones, polar lows, extra tropical cyclones, subtropical cyclones, tropical cyclones, and mesocyclones.
• There are different types of tornados such as land spout tornado, multiple vortex tornados and waterspout tornado.
• The frequency of cyclones is considered 10-14 per year. When, it comes to tornadoes, the United States itself records about 1200 tornadoes per year.
Images Courtesy: Tornado via Wikicommons (Public Domain)
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