Linda Myers, age 12, of Visalia, Calif,, for her question:

How do hurricanes and typhoons differ?

These storms rip along certain paths on the earth's surface. Wherever they blow, the people have their own name for them. These that rage up our Atlantic coast are called hurricanes. Those thattear into the China coast, Japan and the Philippines are called typhoons. Those that strike the northwest coast of Australia are called willy willies. Those that howl up the Indian Ocean are called cyclones.

No matter what we call them, these terrible storms are more or less alike. Each is doughnut shaped and has violent, spirally winds with thunder, lightning and lashing rain. In the center is a calm area of sunny blue skies and perhaps whispy white clouds. When weathermen talk together, they call all of these raging storms tropical cyclones.