Final answer:
A widespread, powerful wind storm with straight-line winds is referred to as a derecho. Compared to tornadoes with rotational winds, derechos cause straight-line wind damage over a large area. Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones are all regional names for tropical cyclones occurring in different parts of the world.
Step-by-step explanation:
A widespread, powerful wind storm with straight-line winds is referred to as a derecho. This type of storm is characterized by a long-lived, rapidly moving band of thunderstorms with destructive straight-line winds that can cause damage similar to that of a tornado, though the mechanism for the wind is different.
Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones are all regional names for a type of tropical cyclone that forms over warm ocean waters and can have devastating effects when they reach land. The distinction in their naming comes from the region in which they occur, with hurricanes in the North Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, typhoons in the Northwest Pacific, and cyclones in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.