From tropical storm to 'violent': Japan's typhoon classifications

Understanding Japan's system for classifying typhoons can be a challenge. For one, it differs from that used for hurricanes, and there are also differences in how the storms are discussed in English versus Japanese. As Typhoon Shanshan -- which as of Friday became Tropical Storm Shanshan -- moves toward Shikoku, it marks a good time to brush up on the terminology. When checking the news about typhoons in Japan, you may see comparisons to hurricane categories. Essentially, a hurricane and typhoon are the same weather phenomenon -- a tropical cyclone.