Difference Between Hurricane and Tornado

The main difference between hurricane and tornado is that hurricane is a large-scale circulation with horizontal dimensions from 60 to more than 1000 miles in diameter and tornado is a small-scale circulation with horizontal dimension from 1 to 1.5 miles in diameter. diameter.

Hurricane vs Tornado

Hurricanes and tornadoes are extremely strong horizontal winds. A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone with sustained winds. These winds are accompanied by rain, thunder and lightning and exceed 74 mph. A tornado is a swirling column of air that varies in width from a few meters to more than a mile. It is accompanied by a funnel-shaped downward extension of a cumulonimbus cloud that generally rotates at destructively high speeds. Hurricanes are generally found near the tropics, over warm waters in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Tornadoes are found on every continent except Antarctica. A large number of tornadoes have been observed in the United States. The obvious difference between hurricanes and tornadoes is that they have drastically different scales. They have different impacts on the environment. They are formed under different circumstances. The hurricane is a large-scale circulation with horizontal dimensions from 60 to more than 1,000 miles in diameter. It forms at low latitudes, generally between 5 and 20 degrees. It’s never okay at the equator. Tornado is a “small scale circulation”. It is the largest horizontal dimension observed in the most severe cases and is on the order of 1 to 1.5 miles. The hurricane is generated in regions of horizontal temperature gradient close to zero. It is an ocean phenomenon. It loses momentum after making landfall because the required moisture is not available on land. The tornado occurs in regions of large temperature gradient. Therefore, it usually occurs over land (where the sun’s heat can produce the required temperature gradient). generally between 5 and 20 degrees. It’s never okay at the equator. Tornado is a “small scale circulation”. It is the largest horizontal dimension observed in the most severe cases and is on the order of 1 to 1.5 miles. The hurricane is generated in regions of horizontal temperature gradient close to zero. It is an ocean phenomenon. It loses momentum after landfall because the required moisture is not available on the ground. The tornado occurs in regions of large temperature gradient. Therefore, it usually occurs over land (where the sun’s heat can produce the required temperature gradient). generally between 5 and 20 degrees. It’s never okay at the equator. Tornado is a “small scale circulation”. It is the largest horizontal dimension observed in the most severe cases and is on the order of 1 to 1.5 miles. The hurricane is generated in regions of horizontal temperature gradient close to zero. It is an ocean phenomenon. It loses momentum after landfall because the required moisture is not available on the ground. The tornado occurs in regions of large temperature gradient. Therefore, it usually occurs over land (where the sun’s heat can produce the required temperature gradient). The hurricane is generated in regions of horizontal temperature gradient close to zero. It is an ocean phenomenon. It loses momentum after landfall because the required moisture is not available on the ground. The tornado occurs in regions of large temperature gradient. Therefore, it usually occurs over land (where the sun’s heat can produce the required temperature gradient). The hurricane is generated in regions of horizontal temperature gradient close to zero. It is an ocean phenomenon. It loses momentum after making landfall because the required moisture is not available on land. The tornado occurs in regions of large temperature gradient. Therefore, it usually occurs over land (where the sun’s heat can produce the required temperature gradient).

Comparison chart

What is a hurricane?

A hurricane (tropical cyclone) is a very large destructive storm. It includes winds that are accompanied by rain, thunder and lightning. These winds exceed 74 miles per hour. Hurricanes usually start over water. They are usually found near the tropics, over warm waters in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The hurricane is a large-scale circulation with horizontal dimensions from 60 to more than 1,000 miles in diameter. It forms at low latitudes, generally between 5 and 20 degrees. It’s never okay at the equator. The hurricane is generated in regions of horizontal temperature gradient close to zero. It is an ocean phenomenon. It loses momentum after landfall because the required moisture is not available on the ground. The strength of a hurricane is measured from 1 to 5 on a scale. The scale for measuring a hurricane is called the Saffir-Simpson scale. Hurricane is a destructive storm that rotates clockwise in the southern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere. Hurricanes occur less frequently than tornadoes (10-15 per year). They can last several days. A hurricane begins as a wave of low-pressure air in the warm, moisture-rich atmosphere over the tropical ocean. This approaching storm draws in warm air and water vapor as it rises and grows. It forms storm clouds and begins to spin in response to the Earth’s rotation. This approaching storm draws in warm air and water vapor as it rises and grows. It forms storm clouds and begins to spin in response to the Earth’s rotation. This approaching storm draws in warm air and water vapor as it rises and grows. It forms storm clouds and begins to spin in response to the Earth’s rotation.

hurricane categories

• Category 1 (minimum damage with wind speeds of 74 to 95 miles per hour)
• Category 2 (moderate damage with wind speeds ranging from 96 to 110 mph)
• Category 3 (extensive damage, with wind speeds of 111-130 mph)
• Category 4 (extreme damage with wind speeds of 131-155 mph)
• Category 5 (damage with wind speeds over 155 mph)

What is a tornado?

A tornado is a highly rotating column of air that can have rotating winds of up to 360 mph. It can destroy everything in its path. It is in contact with both the ground and the cumulonimbus cloud. The base of a tornado that touches the ground is surrounded by dust and debris. Tornado is colorless or transparent, but this dust and debris gives the tornado its color. A tornado can have wind speeds between 40 mph and 360 mph depending on its size. Tornadoes develop primarily from a class of thunderstorms known as supercells. Supercells contain mesocyclones which are an organized area of ​​rotation. This area is usually between 2 and 10 km in the atmosphere. The mesocyclone begins to take in fresh air from the storm’s downdraft region as it descends to the cloud base. Cold air in the downdraft and warm air in the updraft form a rotating wall of air. Form the beginning of a tornado. A tornado dissipates or dies when the downdraft encloses it and cuts off the supply of warm air to the core. It causes the vortex to weaken and eventually die. It is difficult to predict when a tornado will touch down. Another mystery is how tornadoes are extinguished. A tornado dissipates or dies when the downdraft encloses it and cuts off the supply of warm air to the core. It causes the vortex to weaken and eventually die. It is difficult to predict when a tornado will touch down. Another mystery is how tornadoes are extinguished. A tornado dissipates or dies when the downdraft encloses it and cuts off the supply of warm air to the core. It causes the vortex to weaken and eventually die. It is difficult to predict when a tornado will touch down. Another mystery is how tornadoes are extinguished.

types of tornadoes

• Landspout (which occurs on land)
• Waterspout (occurring in the water)
• Multiple vortices (containing multiple vortices spinning within the main vortex)

Key differences

1. The main hurricanes and tornadoes are that the hurricane is a large-scale circulation with horizontal dimensions of 60 to more than 1000 miles in diameter, while a tornado is a small-scale circulation with a horizontal dimension of 1 to 1.5 miles in diameter. diameter.
2. The hurricane is generated in regions of horizontal temperature gradient close to zero; on the other hand, the tornado occurs in regions of large temperature gradient.
3. The lifespan of a hurricane (tropical cyclone) is in days, conversely, the lifespan of a tornado is only a few minutes or at most an hour.
4. A hurricane spans hundreds of kilometers and comprises several convective tornadoes/storms, while the diameter of a tornado is hundreds of meters driven by a convective storm.

Final Thought

Hurricanes and tornadoes are naturally occurring wind storms. Both appear to be similar in their general structure, but are different in many ways.