- Cyclones are much larger in scale compared to tornadoes.
- Cyclones can persist for days or even weeks as they move across the ocean and land, gradually losing strength as they make landfall.
Image: SCREENGRAB
President William Ruto on Friday, May 3 said Kenya may face its first-ever Cyclone.
Speaking during his address to the nation at State House, Ruto said the Cyclone named Hidaya could hit anytime.
Ruto said the Kenya Meteorological Department and the IGAD Climate Prediction Applications Centre, had issued a stark warning.
"Meteorological reports paint a dire picture. The rains will persist increasing both in duration and intensity for the rest of this month and possibly after," he said.
However, the Kenya Meteorological Department in a turn of events on Sunday, May 5 said the anticipated Cyclone Hidaya has completely lost its strength after making landfall in Tanzania.
Director of Meteorological Services David Gikungu said that despite the weakening of the cyclone, rains are still expected in the Kenyan coastal regions.
Gikungu said Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi and Lamu counties are likely to experience moderate to heavy rainfall offshore.
He said the moderate to heavy rainfall may extend inland on Monday and Tuesday whilst accompanied by strong winds.
Cyclone and tornado, what's the difference?
Cyclones and tornadoes are both powerful weather phenomena, but they have distinct characteristics.
Cyclones, also known as hurricanes or typhoons depending on their location, form over warm ocean waters and are characterized by a low-pressure center, strong winds, and heavy rainfall.
Tornadoes form over land and are associated with severe thunderstorms, featuring a rotating column of air extending from the base of a cumulonimbus cloud to the ground.
Cyclones are much larger in scale compared to tornadoes.
They can span hundreds of miles and affect entire regions while tornadoes have a much smaller diameter, usually ranging from tens to a few hundred yards wide.
Cyclones can persist for days or even weeks as they move across the ocean and land, gradually losing strength as they make landfall.
Tornadoes, however, are short-lived phenomena that usually last for only a few minutes to an hour.
Cyclones typically bring widespread destruction due to their strong winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges, and potential for flooding.
Tornadoes, while smaller in scale, can be extremely destructive within their narrow paths, causing significant damage to structures and vegetation and posing a serious threat to life and property.
While both cyclones and tornadoes are dangerous weather phenomena, they differ in their formation, size, duration, intensity, and effects on the areas they impact.
Why are cyclones named?
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), tropical cyclones are a dangerous natural hazard which occur all around the world.
The organisation said the naming of tropical cyclones has proven to be the fastest way to communicate warnings and raise public awareness and preparedness.
WMO said assigning names to tropical cyclones makes tracking and discussing specific storms more straightforward, especially when multiple storms are active simultaneously.
The organisation said naming also helps to avoid confusion among meteorologists, media, emergency management agencies and the public.