Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Understanding the tropical trio: Cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons

09:00
9 March 2024

Tropical trio video
3 forces: Cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons

Tropical cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons are all different names for the same type of storm system - so what is the actual difference?

Here in the UK and Ireland it is not physically possible for us to be in receipt of any tropical systems, because our surrounding waters are simply not warm enough to sustain anything of tropical status.

So where can see tropical systems, and why do they have different names? Meteorologist Tamsin Green dives into the definition behind each system, and what determines their differences.

Myth buster: Hurricanes in UK & Irelandread more
More on the topic
Hottest summer on record for Ireland. Beating 2025's record. . . Thursday, 3 September 2026
Temperature map of Ireland showing 29°C in Dublin, 26°C in Cork, 24°C in Belfast, and 23°C in Galway, with a red thermometer icon.
Thursday, 3 September 2026

Beating 2025's record

Hottest summer on record for Ireland
Cheshire Gap produces shower funnel. Local phenomenon. . . Wednesday, 9 September 2026
Weather map showing showers moving southeast from Liverpool toward Birmingham, driven by Cheshire Gap convergence across central England.
Wednesday, 9 September 2026

Local phenomenon

Cheshire Gap produces shower funnel
More rain needed to ease drought. Reservoirs still falling. . . Tuesday, 8 September 2026
Aerial view of a depleted reservoir with exposed banks and a narrow winding stream through the dry basin, surrounded by green hills and roads.
Tuesday, 8 September 2026

Reservoirs still falling

More rain needed to ease drought
All weather news
This might also interest you
Seasonal warmth between spring thunder. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 19 April 2026
Split image showing coastal sunset with layered lenticular clouds over rooftops and palm trees on the left, and a green valley with river and hills under soft daylight on the right.
Sunday, 19 April 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Seasonal warmth between spring thunder
A frozen start to the weekend. Icy conditions. . . Friday, 13 February 2026
UK temperature map dated 14.02 showing widespread subzero values in blue shading, with readings such as −4 in Glasgow, −3 in Dublin, and −2 in London, alongside a blue thermometer icon.
Friday, 13 February 2026

Icy conditions

A frozen start to the weekend
Long-term trends need a pinch of salt. 40 °C in July?. . . Tuesday, 30 June 2026
Temperature radar of 2022 heatwave where the all-time temperature record in the UK was set. Warning symbol overlain.
Tuesday, 30 June 2026

40 °C in July?

Long-term trends need a pinch of salt
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList