What's the difference between a Tropical storm and hurricane?

Question

I want to know the difference between a hurricane and a tropical storm. Can you give me facts about how they are different and how they are formed? Thank you. PLEASE ANSWER AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.

Answer 1

Tropical storms have wind speeds of 39-73mph.

Hurricanes have wind speeds of 74mph or above. Winds in a hurricane can reach as high as 170mph with the strongest ones. So a hurricane is basically a tropical storm that has matured as Arasan put it.

The ingredients necessary for the formation of tropical cyclones are:

-Warm ocean waters (at least 80°F / 27°C) throughout a depth of about 150 ft. (46 m).

-An atmosphere which cools fast enough with height such that it is potentially unstable to moist convection.

-Relatively moist air near the mid-level of the troposphere (16,000 ft. / 4,900 m).

-Generally a minimum distance of at least 300 miles (480 km) from the equator.

-A pre-existing near-surface disturbance.

-Low values (less than about 23 mph / 37 kph) of vertical wind shear between the surface and the upper troposphere. Vertical wind shear is the change in wind speed with height.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tropic...

Answer 2

Both storms form the same but a tropical storm is a few degrees below a hurricane. The measurements of the wind and rain and the width of the eye of the storm determine the classification of the storm. If the eye is smaller and the winds stronger, it's a hurricane. Just before being classified as a hurricane, it's a tropical storm.

Answer 3

Hurricane is a matured tropical storm.