English

Three tropical cyclones of the 2006 Pacific typhoon season at different stages of development. The weakest (left), a tropical depression, demonstrates only the most basic circular shape. A stronger storm (top right) demonstrates spiral banding and increased centralization, while the strongest (lower right), a typhoon, has developed an eye.

Noun

tropical cyclone ‎(plural tropical cyclones)

1. (in the broad sense) rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, strong winds, and a circular/spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain, ranging in increasing strenghth from tropical depression over tropical storm to hurricane and typhoon
2. (in the narrow sense) typhoon, hurricane

Synonyms

• (in the narrow sense) severe tropical cyclone, very intense tropical cyclone (used in the southern hemisphere and the Indian Ocean)

Translations

See also

• cyclone
• hurricane
• typhoon
• tropical storm
• cyclonic storm
• tropical depression
• tempest
• willy-willy