Eye: The relatively calm center of the tropical cyclone that is more than one half surrounded by wall cloud.

Eye Wall/Wall Cloud: An organized band of cumuliform clouds immediately surrounding the center of a tropical cyclone. Eye wall and wall cloud are used synonymously.

Gale Warning: A warning of 1-minute sustained surface winds in the range 34 kt (39 mph or 63 km/hr) to 47 kt (54 mph or 87 km/hr) inclusive, either predicted or occurring not directly associated with tropical cyclones.

High Wind Warning: A high wind warning is defined as 1-minute average surface winds of 35 kt (40 mph or 64 km/hr) or greater lasting for 1 hour or longer, or winds gusting to 50 kt (58 mph or 93 km/hr) or greater regardless of duration that are either expected or observed over land.

Hurricane: A storm with winds more than 74 mph. They are classified in categories of 1-5 according to wind speeds with 1 a minimal hurricane.

Hurricane warning: Issued for an area expected to be under hurricane conditions within 24 hours.

Hurricane watch: Issued for an area that may be threatened by hurricane conditions … winds more than 74 mph … within 36 hours.

Storm Surge: An abnormal rise in sea level accompanying a hurricane or other intense storm, and whose height is the difference between the observed level of the sea surface and the level that would have occurred in the absence of the cyclone. Storm surge is usually estimated by subtracting the normal or astronomic high tide from the observed storm tide.

Tropical depression: A storm with a counterclockwise wind rotation around an area of low pressure. A depression's highest winds can be 38 mph. This is the first stage of a storm that could grow into a hurricane. They are given numbers by the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Tropical storm: A storm with winds of 39-73 mph. Once a depression becomes a tropical storm, the Hurricane Center gives it a name.

Tropical storm warning: An area is expected to be affected by tropical storm conditions … winds from 39-73 mph … within 24 hours. The area under a warning will be smaller than under a watch.

Tropical storm watch: Issued by the Hurricane Center, this means an area may be threatened by a tropical storm … winds up to 73 mph … within 36 hours. This could be a broad stretch of coastline.

Tropical Wave: A trough or cyclonic curvature maximum in the trade-wind easterlies. The wave may reach maximum amplitude in the lower middle troposphere.