ORLANDO, Fla. – Scientifically, hurricanes are the same as typhoons. Both are under the tropical cyclone umbrella.
The difference between the two lies in where they occur in the world.
In the Atlantic, Eastern Pacific and Central Pacific tropical cyclones that reach a maximum sustained wind greater than 74 mph are known as hurricanes. In the Western Pacific, these storms are known as typhoons.
Dora has been an extremely long-lived and powerful storm. The disturbance that would eventually become Hurricane Dora developed into a tropical depression July 31.
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What makes this even crazier is that before the cluster of storms developed in the Pacific, it was highlighted in the Atlantic for possible tropical development. It was tagged as Invest 95 L but never developed on the Atlantic side.
Dora rapidly intensified into a hurricane on Aug. 1, eventually reaching category 4 strength. Hurricane Dora become Typhoon Dora after it crossed the International Dateline.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Dora would be only the second storm on record to be at hurricane strength through the Eastern, Central and Western Pacific basins.
Hurricane John in 1994 was the only other known tropical cyclone to do this. John is the farthest-traveling tropical cyclone ever observed worldwide. To date, Dora has traveled nearly 5,000 miles across the Pacific.
Interestingly enough, Hurricane Dora from 1999 came close to trekking through all three basins as a hurricane.
Typically, storms in the Eastern Pacific weaken when they move into the cooler waters of the Central Pacific. However, steering currents kept Dora south over warmer waters for a longer period of time.
Dora also managed to become an annular hurricane, resembling the look of a compact disk on satellite. These storms can fend off detrimental environmental conditions and stay stronger for longer.
The last time a Pacific hurricane crossed the International Dateline and became a typhoon was Kilo in 2015.
Other notable hurricanes to become typhoons after crossing the International Dateline are
Genevieve in 2014, Loke in 2006, Keoni in 1993, Ekeka in 1992, Enrique in 1991, Uleki in 1988 and Sarah in 1967.
The above storms were not hurricanes in all three Pacific basins but did cross the International Dateline at hurricane intensity to become a typhoon.
This Dora is not to be confused with the Atlantic Hurricane Dora that impacted Northeast Florida in 1964.
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