Tropical cyclone is the catch-all term for the powerful, spinning storms that feed off warm oceans and the strength of which is determined by wind speeds. The strongest are known as hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in the Western Pacific and simply tropical cyclones in the South Pacific.

Tropical cyclone activity is buzzing across the Southern Hemisphere with as many as six cyclones simultaneously spinning around. According to the Accumulated Cyclone Energy tally complied by Colorado State University,