A tropical storm is a type of severe weather system that is characterized by strong winds, heavy rain, and sometimes thunder and lightning. It is the weakest form of a HURRICANE, TYPHOON, or CYCLONE, which are all terms used to describe a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters. Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones are all the same type of storm, but they are given different names depending on where they occur. Hurricanes occur in the Atlantic Ocean and Northeast Pacific Ocean, typhoons occur in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, and cyclones occur in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.