Weatherwatch: what is the difference between a hurricane and a typhoon?

Cyclones are circular storms. Those that form in the Atlantic are called hurricanes while those in the Pacific are typhoons. They are essentially similar, but the difference between the areas where they form makes them different in scale and impact. Typhoons tend to be larger because of the vast size of the Pacific. The two have similar wind speeds but are reported differently. Hurricanes are rated on the Saffir Simpson scale, with a five indicating sustained winds of more than 157 mph (253 km/h). There is no equivalent international scale for Pacific cyclones, but various scales exist with categories such as “typhoon” for wind speeds of 74-114 mph and “super typhoon” for those with winds above 115 mph. Typhoons occur year round, with a peak from August to October, while the official hurricane season runs from June to November. There are typically about 16 typhoons a year, compared with eight hurricanes. The two can be very different in terms of destructive effects. Hurricanes may cause more economic damage, especially when they strike the affluent US east coast, but the Philippines, Bangladesh, China and Vietnam have large coastal populations with limited storm protection, so the death toll for typhoons tends to be much higher. Hurricanes may look more destructive on paper, but the human cost of typhoons is often greater.