Pertinent Question

[Bratty]

What is the difference between a Cat 1 tropical storm and a Cat 1 tornado?

[Josh]

Tropical storm= 39-72 MPH, Hurricane= 74+ MPH

Also, this goes over to Science and Academia.

[Comrade Tortoise]

What is the difference between a Cat 1 tropical storm and a Cat 1 tornado?

Petro hit the nail on the head. The only real difference is windspeed. Of course, a tornado is structured differently if you ment tornado as opposed to hurricane

[Robert Walper]

What is the difference between a Cat 1 tropical storm and a Cat 1 tornado?

Petro hit the nail on the head. The only real difference is windspeed. Of course, a tornado is structured differently if you ment tornado as opposed to hurricane

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't tornados far more focused in their destruction and focal points?

[Bratty]

What is the difference between a Cat 1 tropical storm and a Cat 1 tornado?

Petro hit the nail on the head. The only real difference is windspeed. Of course, a tornado is structured differently if you ment tornado as opposed to hurricane

I did mean tornado. The Nordic Bastard must not have had his coffee yet ~brat grins~

[Bratty]

What is the difference between a Cat 1 tropical storm and a Cat 1 tornado?

Petro hit the nail on the head. The only real difference is windspeed. Of course, a tornado is structured differently if you ment tornado as opposed to hurricane

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't tornados far more focused in their destruction and focal points?

That is the question posed, padawan. Explain, please.

[Comrade Tortoise]

What is the difference between a Cat 1 tropical storm and a Cat 1 tornado?

Petro hit the nail on the head. The only real difference is windspeed. Of course, a tornado is structured differently if you ment tornado as opposed to hurricane

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't tornados far more focused in their destruction and focal points?

You are correct sir. Much nastier too actually. The wind speeds are faster and ther is more concentrated shrapnel

[Rogue 9]

Petro hit the nail on the head. The only real difference is windspeed. Of course, a tornado is structured differently if you ment tornado as opposed to hurricane

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't tornados far more focused in their destruction and focal points?

That is the question posed, padawan. Explain, please.

You honestly don't know the difference between a tropical storm and a tornado? :damnfunny

[Comrade Tortoise]

What is the difference between a Cat 1 tropical storm and a Cat 1 tornado?

Petro hit the nail on the head. The only real difference is windspeed. Of course, a tornado is structured differently if you ment tornado as opposed to hurricane

I did mean tornado. The Nordic Bastard must not have had his coffee yet ~brat grins~

OK, a cat 1 tropical storm is jsut that. A really nasty squal. In fact, it is a step above tropical depression, which is a step above squall, which is a step above small craft advisory warning

A tornado starts as a land based storm front, a cloud will precipitate rapidly releasing heat, which causes the cloud and surrounding air to rise and the resulting vaccume, combined with a change in wind direction and speed creates the vortex. One with VERY high windspeeds.

[Bratty]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't tornados far more focused in their destruction and focal points?

That is the question posed, padawan. Explain, please.

You honestly don't know the difference between a tropical storm and a tornado? :damnfunny

Laugh it up fuzzball!

I grew up with tornados my whole life until I moved down here to Texas. Now, we are faced with a tropical storm for the first time, and are right in the path. Thankfully it will only be a Cat 1 when it reaches us. So my question posed was basically geared more for the physical differences, not the origin of the storm.

I have posed this question in many forums and emails, and have been surprised how few people know the differences. So apparently, I am not the only dumbass ;)

[Comrade Tortoise]

Well, a tripicalo storm or even a hurricane has a few effects that are different from a tornado. First, there is more generalized damage. A tornado will destroy a singl e house. a cat 1 hurricane will rip off the roofing shingles of every house in the area. Second, if you are on the coast, there is a storm surge. The hurricane pushes the ocean water ahead of it, in an effect similar to a tsunami, only it holds the water there for a while. Sea levels increase by from a few inches, to several meters depending on the strength of the storm

[The Cleric]

Pretty much, a tropical storm/hurricane is a really really big storm, while a tornadoe is a wind funnel o' death.

[Bratty]

Thanks to all, especially Ben, for helpful insight. I may be double dipping here, but I would like to post what someone did in my LJ as well. I have found the whole thing somewhat interesting.

"There is actually a major difference. First Tornado's traditionally go on a F0 thru F12 scale with Cat 1-5 split between them. In order you have:
F0 -Gale Tornado 40-72mph
F1 - Moderate Tornado 73-112mph
F2 - Significant Tornado 113-157mph
F3 - Severe Tornado 158-206mph
F4 - Devastating Tornado 207-260mph
F5 - Incredible Tornado 261-318mph
F6-12 - Inconceivable Tornado (yeah insert Princess Bride laugh here) Greater then 319mph

No compare that to a Hurricane:

Cat1 - 74-95mph
Cat2 - 96-110mph
Cat3 - 111-130mph
Cat4 - 131-155mph
Cat5 - Greater then 155mph

So take Rita she is at 170-175mph currently. That makes her a Cat 5 Hurricane. Her wind speeds would equal that of a F3 Severe Tornado. Which means Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forests uprooted; heavy cars lifted off the ground and thrown; weak pavement blown off roads. Now the major and scary part of a Hurricane is this. It covers miles of land where a Tornado is a very small area (the actually path of the Tornado). Very few things are as devastating as a Tornado in such a small area but they do not do near the damage a cat 5 hurricane can produce cause it cannot cover near the same area of land. Now to add to a Hurricane you usually throw in lighting and tornados. Yes Hurricanes usually produce many Tornados which can cause even more problems and destroy even the strongest of buildings if they hit them.

Cat 5 Hurricanes are a sight to behold honestly. They are scary and massive and can last for a few days. Tornados hit and disappear within minutes usually. At 155 mph your talking small cars able to be moved thru the air and most any vehicles blown over. At 170-175 that hurricane can actually destroy a well built house with just the wind alone. Coastal areas get it even worse cause of the water swell which can usually mean the water levels raises some 20 feet easy. That's part of what hurt New Orleans cause it was under sea level and that swell was to much for it. Tornados can form without a storm around it where Hurricanes are just massive damage dealers. Last Hurricane I went thru when living in Florida was a Cat 4 and it had some 40 Tornado's touch down inside of it. "