Difference Between Hurricane and Tropical Storm

Hurricane Helene is approaching the Florida coast, growing and gaining strength. It was a tropical storm on Tuesday, but now Hurricane Helene is expected to hit the Florida coast as a potential Category 4 storm.

What are the differences between the two classifications?

The main difference, according to the National Weather Service, is wind speed. A tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 39-73 miles per hour, while a Category 1 hurricane has maximum sustained winds of 74-95 miles per hour.

There are five categories of hurricanes defined by the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. According to the National Hurricane Center, this scale helps define the potential damage each storm can cause. This does not take into account possible storm surges, rain flooding or tornadoes.

A severe hurricane is considered a storm of Category 3 or higher.