What are Hurricanes, Tornadoes and Whirlwinds?

They are all rotating movements of air. They are swirling, twirling, revolving, whirling, spinning, twisting winds.
So are they the same thing but with different names? Definitely not. Hurricanes, tornadoes and whirlwinds are very different from each other.

What's the difference?

The main difference is size.

Hurricanes are huge. Hurricanes are enormous. They are vast storms which can be hundreds of kilometres across. A hurricane over Britain could easily cover the whole country. So remember: hurricanes are big beasties.

Tornadoes are tiny compared with hurricanes, perhaps only a few hundred metres across. They look like tall pillars or funnels reaching up to the clouds. They are so small that you can see them travelling along the ground. You can watch as they come towards you, and breathe a sigh of relief when they change direction and decide not to come after you. But don't start thinking that they are harmless. While a hurricane might knock you over, a tornado could suck you up into the sky and spit you out as if you were a rag doll. It could even suck up cars or houses and smash them into pieces.
When a hurricane hits a town, everyone is affected. But when a tornado comes along, very few people suffer because it leaves only a narrow trail of damage. Your house could lose its roof while your neighbour's house might suffer no damage at all.

Whirlwinds are tiny (although some people confuse things by calling tornadoes whirlwinds). They might only be a few metres wide and, apart from picking up grass, leaves, or soil, do not cause much damage.

	Before the storm This picture represents a town before it is struck by a swirling wind.
	After a Tornado There is a narrow trail of damage. The trail could be a straight line or it could curve where the tornado has changed direction.
	After a Hurricane A hurricane affects a wide area and causes far more damage than a tornado. (A whirlwind would do very little damage.)