I erred. The correct answer is (from Wikipedia): "In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of low atmospheric pressure characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate counter clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere of the Earth. [1][2] The generic term covers a wide variety of meteorological phenomena. These include tropical cyclones and extratropical cyclones, so meteorologists rarely use "cyclone" without additional qualification. "A tornado is a violently rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. Tornadoes come in many sizes but are typically in the form of a visible condensation funnel, whose narrow end touches the earth and is often encircled by a cloud of debris. "Most tornadoes have wind speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h) and 110 mph (177 km/h), are approximately 250 feet (75 m) across, and travel a few miles (several kilometers) before dissipating. Some attain wind speeds of more than 300 mph (480 km/h), stretch more than a mile (1.6 km) across, and stay on the ground for dozens of miles (more than 100 km).[1][2][3] "Although tornadoes have been observed on every continent except Antarctica, most occur in the United States.[4] They also commonly occur in southern Canada, south-central and eastern Asia, east-central South America, Southern Africa, northwestern and southeast Europe, Italy, western and southeastern Australia, and New Zealand.[5]"

Tornados form over land, spawned from thunderstorms. Cyclones form over water (and covers all sorts of spinning storms from a standard low pressure system to a hurricane).

Tornados are 'localized', smaller disturbances while cyclones are large-scale, atmospheric wind-and-pressure systems. They are characterized by low pressure at its center and by circular wind motion, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Cyclones often spawn many smaller tornados as they encompass an area yo...

G'day StephanieCloud, Thank you for your question. According to Wikipedia, a cyclone is an "area of low atmospheric pressure characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate counter clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere of the Earth." Cyclones cover a wide range of phenomena but tropical cyclones are the best known. Cyclones cover a large area. According to Wikipedia, "tornadoes come in many sizes but are typically in the form of a visible condensation funnel, whose narrow end touches the earth and is often encircled by a cloud of debris." They are most common in the US and cause destruction in a small area. References Wikipedia Cyclone http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone Wikipedia Tornado http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornado Answers.com Cyclone http://www.answers.com/cyclone&r=67 Answers.com Tornado http://www.answers.com/tornado&r=67