It is a generic term and a cyclone can develop very strong winds. Video: Forecast Track Map for severe tropical cyclone Yasi. Key Difference: Cyclones are considered as oceanic phenomena, while tornadoes can occur over land as well as water. Cyclones and tornadoes have vastly different durations. Photograph courtesy of Heather Leckie. Tweet. A close-up satellite image of Hurricane Isabel taken on Sept. 15, 2003. Technically, a cyclone is any kind of circular wind storm. The only difference between a hurricane and a typhoon is the location where the storm occurs. Hurricane versus Tornado comparison chart; Hurricane Tornado; About: A hurricane is a cyclone that is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, or the NE Pacific Ocean east of the International Date Line, or the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E, and with sustained winds that reach or exceed 74 mph. From news coverage from the United States one gets the impression that Tornados are very destructive, so I have often wondered what is the difference between a Tornado or a Cyclone? Were hope that we were able to shed some light on the confusion over tornadoes and cyclones. A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone with sustained winds. It is important to know the difference between cyclone and tornado in order to learn how to be safe from them. Cyclone is a large-scale air mass that circulates around a center of low atmospheric pressure. Cyclones are low pressure systems in the Northern part of the world. They form under different circumstances and have different impacts on the environment. Being in Australia, we get a quite a few Cyclones a year ranging from Northern Western Australia to far North Queensland. If the terms like cyclone, hurricane, typhoon, tornado, and twister tend to leave you confused, here is some information on cyclone (aka hurricane or typhoon) vs tornado (aka twister), with reference to how they differ from each other, which will help you get rid of all this confusion. Eventually, the cooler, drier air overpowers the hotter, moist air and the clash between them dies down. Tornado is a rotating column of air accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud that progresses in a narrow path over the land. A tornado is a whirling column of air ranging in width from a few yards to more than a mile. This causes the storm to subside, usually in a matter of minutes. The most obvious difference between tornadoes and hurricanes is that they have drastically different scales. The National Ocean Service helps coastal communities prepare for and recover from major coastal storms such as hurricanes. What is the difference between cyclone, hurricane, tornado and twister? Tornadoes, on the other hand, can come with heavy rainfalls, but also hail and sleet. Tropical cyclones; Tropical cyclone warning services; NOAA National Hurricane Centre; Image at left: Strong tornado near the highway between Nimmitabel and Cooma, New South Wales, 2008. More information. Cyclone Vs. Tornado. These winds are accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning and exceed 74 mph. A cyclone is generally defined in meteorology as an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. Because Cyclones are formed in tropical regions, cyclones are accompanied by rain. The winds of a tornado are driven by a clash of air pressures and temperatures. Tornadoes are "small-scale circulations", the largest observed horizontal dimensions in the most severe cases being on the order of 1 to 1.5 miles. Hurricane vs. Tornado. Hurricanes and Tornadoes are extremely strong horizontal winds. Difference between Cyclone and Tornado. The last difference between a cyclone and a tornado is the weather that they bring.