Typhoon Nock-ten

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This article is about the 2016 typhoon. For other storms of the same name, see Typhoon Nock-ten
(disambiguation) and Tropical Storm Nina.

Typhoon Nock-ten (Nina)

Typhoon (JMA scale)

Category 5 super typhoon (SSHWS)

Nock-ten 2016-12-25 0210Z (gallery).jpg

Typhoon Nock-ten approaching the Philippines at peak intensity on December 25

Formed December 20, 2016

Dissipated December 28, 2016

Highest winds 10-minute sustained: 195 km/h (120 mph)

1-minute sustained: 260 km/h (160 mph)

Lowest pressure 915 hPa (mbar); 27.02 inHg

Fatalities 13 total

Damage $123 million (2016 USD)

Areas affected Caroline Islands, Philippines, Vietnam

Part of the 2016 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Nock-ten, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Nina, was the strongest Christmas Day tropical
cyclone worldwide in terms of 1-minute sustained winds.[1][2] Forming as a tropical depression
southeast of Yap and strengthening into the twenty-sixth tropical storm of the annual typhoon season
on December 21, 2016, Nock-ten intensified into the thirteenth typhoon of the season on December 23.
Soon afterwards, the system underwent explosive intensification and became a Category 5-equivalent
super typhoon early on December 25. Nock-ten weakened shortly afterwards before making eight
landfalls over the Philippines.[3] The typhoon weakened rapidly due to the landfalls as it entered the
South China Sea on December 26, turned southwest, and ultimately dissipated on December 28 due to
the winter monsoon.

Nock-ten was the third typhoon to have caused significant impacts in the Philippines, after typhoons
Sarika and Haima only two months prior, both of which struck similar areas at a similar intensity. 13
people were known to have been killed by Nock-ten. Damage totals were estimated upwards of
US$127.5 million, and because of this, the names Nock-ten and Nina were retired by the Japan
Meteorological Agency and PAGASA name lists, respectively.

Contents

1 Meteorological history

2 Preparations and impact

2.1 Highest Public Storm Warning Signal

3 Retirement

4 See also

5 References

6 External links

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

Map key

On December 20, the Japan Meteorological Agency started to monitor a tropical depression that had
formed about 1,090 km (675 mi) to the southeast of Yap Island in the Federated States of Micronesia.[4]
[5] The broad and poorly organized system was being affected by moderate to high vertical wind shear,
which was being offset by warm sea surface temperatures.[5] Soon, the JTWC upgraded the system to a
tropical depression, with the designation of 30W, based on improved environmental conditions and an
ASCAT image.[6] Late on the same day, when central convection was increasing and consolidating over a
defined low-level circulation center (LLCC), both the JMA and the JTWC upgraded it to a tropical storm,
with the former assigning the name Nock-ten.[7][8] One day later, late on December 22, the JMA
upgraded the system to a severe tropical storm, and Nock-ten started to form an eye revealed by
microwave imagery.[9][10]

Tracking west-northwestward and then westward along the southern periphery of a deep-layered
subtropical ridge, Nock-ten intensified into a typhoon at noon UTC on December 23.[11][12]
Immediately after that, explosive intensification commenced with a sharp eye embedded in a symmetric
central dense overcast feature.[13] At 06:00 UTC on December 24, Nock-ten reached its peak intensity
with estimated ten-minute maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h (120 mph) and the central pressure
at 915 hPa (27.02 inHg); therefore, it was the latest-forming typhoon of such intensity or stronger on
record.[14] The JTWC also upgraded Nock-ten to a Category 4-equivalent super typhoon, when the
system was in an area of low vertical wind shear, excellent dual-channel outflow, and sea surface
temperatures of 29 ºC.[15] Although the eye became cloud-filled in the afternoon, it cleared again late
on the same day and while the JMA did not raise its intensity estimate further, the JTWC did so.[16][17]

On December 25, the JTWC reported that the Dvorak technique analyses at 03:00 UTC from "all
reporting agencies" indicated a T-number of 7.0;[18] therefore, the JTWC added a non-synoptic entry to
the operational best track for that time, indicating one-minute maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h
(160 mph), equivalent to Category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson scale.[19] However, land interaction soon
impacted the typhoon, as its convective cloud tops had become warmer.[18] Later, Nock-ten made
landfall over the Philippines eight times: Bato, Catanduanes at 18:30 PST (10:30 UTC) and Sagñay,
Camarines Sur at 21:30 PST (13:30 UTC) on December 25; San Andres, Quezon at 02:00 PST (18:00 UTC),
Torrijos, Marinduque at 04:30 PST (20:30 UTC), Verde Island, Batangas at 09:15 PST (01:15 UTC), Tingloy,
Batangas at 10:10 PST (02:10 UTC), Calatagan, Batangas at 11:40 PST (03:40 UTC), and Lubang Island,
Occidental Mindoro at 13:00 PST (05:00 UTC) on December 26.[20]

The eight landfalls significantly eroded Nock-ten, and the structure became much more asymmetric and
ragged.[21] Thus, when Nock-ten emerged into the South China Sea early on December 26, it had
weakened into a minimal typhoon.[22] Subsequently, although Nock-ten's structure briefly improved, it
was downgraded to a severe tropical storm by the JMA and a tropical storm by the JTWC early on
December 27, as its LLCC had started to become exposed.[23][24] Poleward outflow was no longer
offsetting the effects of strong vertical wind shear, leading to rapid weakening.[25] After the JMA
downgraded the system to a tropical storm at 09:00 UTC, Nock-ten further weakened to a tropical
depression late on the same day.[26][27] Influenced by a Northeast Monsoon surge, the system
accelerated southwestward, and convection was unable to develop over the fully exposed LLCC due to
high vertical wind shear and colder dry air.[28] The JTWC issued its final warning for the system early on
December 28, and the tropical depression dissipated in the afternoon.[29][30][31]

Preparations and impact

Highest PSWS raised by PAGASA across the Philippines in relation to Typhoon Nina (Nock-Ten)

Nock-ten made eight landfalls in the Philippines.[32] According to the NDRRMC, a total of 98,771
families were preemptively evacuated in CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol, and Eastern Visayas region.
[33]

A total of 13 people have been reported dead while total damages have been reported up to ₱6.12
billion (US$123 million).[34]
On December, 26, 2016, MV Starlite Atlantic sank off the coast of Tingloy, Batangas during the onslaught
of the typhoon. The vessel was anchored in Batangas Bay when the typhoon passed over it with winds of
up to 185 km/h in the center and gusts of 215 km/h. The typhoon generated huge waves between six to
eight meters in height, causing the vessel to come off its mooring and drift toward Tingloy where it sank.
One person died and 18 were reported missing in the incident, while the Philippine Coast Guard rescued
15 out of the 34 crew.[35][36][37]