How are typhoons created?

Typhoons are rotating storm systems that form in tropical areas when warm water mixes with cold air from clouds above. The cold air above pushes on the warm air below, moving it upwards. The warm air and water are pulled up into the clouds, forming a column of quickly moving, spinning air.

Typhoons, hurricanes and cyclones are all descriptions of the same type of phenomenon, but refer to storms that occur in different parts of the world. Hurricanes are storms that happen over the North Atlanticor Caribbean, cyclones occur over the Indian Ocean and typhoons form in the western Pacific Ocean.