What is the difference in these storms?

Question

What is the difference between a cyclone, tornado, hurricane and a typhoon?

Answer 1

Okay, first we take the odd one out

Tornado is generally a pure wind-based storm (sometimes called a twister as well), it's effect is largely localized although tornadoes can tear its way through a town or cities.  Tornadoes are also much smaller and are spin-offs of a major storm system.

(The water equivalent of a tornado is called a water spout - these can be observed off some coasts).

Cyclones and Hurricanes are much more closely related.  (Typhoons are just the Asian name for Hurricanes).  Both of them are storms systems by themselves (so their scale is much bigger than tornadoes) that comprise of both wind and water.

If you like, you can view that Hurricances are a special form of Cyclones (cyclones include Tropical Depression, Tropical Storm and then become Hurricanes/Typhoons as they spin faster or get bigger in size).

For a cyclone to be called a hurricane it needs to have pick up a speed of about 33 meters per second.

About the other main difference between Tornado vs Cyclones would be the presence of an eye usually for Cyclones whereas Tornadoes will have a point where it touches the ground, Cyclones don't really touch the ground.

Answer 2

A cyclone, hurricane and typhoon, are exactly the same but they have different names depending on where they have developed. They cover vast amounts of square miles, thousands.

A tornado is unlike any of the above, it is a funnel, and very much smaller than the above and can also have stronger wind speeds.

Research it, see what you find!