With the whole state keeping a close eye on the storm (Henri) coming up the coast this weekend it seemed like a good question to talk about today. What’s the difference between a “tropical storm” and a “hurricane”?
They both bring a lot of rain and wind and possible damage. The biggest difference between the two is the intensity of the wind. A tropical storm is defined as a tropical cyclone that has maximum sustained surface winds ranging from 39-73 mph. A hurricane on the other hand, is still a tropical cyclone but has maximum sustained surface winds of 74 mph or greater.
We will find out on Sunday which one Henri ends up being. Let’s hope it’s the lesser of the two.
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