Ever wonder what the difference is between a tropical storm and a hurricane? Or a watch vs. a warning? Here's a guide to the different advisories you might see.
A road is blocked by a mudslide caused by Hurricane Fiona in Cayey, Puerto Rico, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022.A road is blocked by a mudslide caused by Hurricane Fiona in Cayey, Puerto Rico, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022., and is now expected to make landfall in the Dominican Republic Monday.
Hurricanes are the last stop in the hierarchy of tropical cyclones. They have wind speeds of 74 miles per hour and greater. Before that, they are tropical storms, which have wind speeds ranging from 39 to 73 mph. And before the cyclones become storms, they are classified as tropical depressions, which have maximum wind speeds of 38 miles per hour.Both hurricane and tropical storm watches are issued when one is possible somewhere in the area, but not guaranteed.