DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION (2ND QUARTER)

QUARTER 2 MODULE 3 WEEK 3

Learning Competencies (Essential Competencies)
● Recognize signs of impending hydrometeorological hazards
(DRR11/12-IIc-d-33);
● Interpret different hydrometeorological hazard maps (DRR11/12-IIc-d-35); and
● Use available tools for monitoring hydrometeorological hazards (DRR11/12-IIc-d-36).

HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL HAZARDS
Objectives:
● Name different kinds of hydrometeorological hazards;
● Recognize signs of impending hydrometeorological hazards; and
● Describe the effects of different hydrometeorological hazards.

Introduction
Based on Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC), the Philippines is visited by an
average of twenty (20) typhoons every year. Five (5) of which is considered “destructive”. This is
due to our country’s location along the typhoon belt in the Pacific. You must be very familiar with
typhoons. It is considered a hydrometeorological hazard. Aside from typhoons, there are also other
kinds of hydrometeorological hazards such as thunderstorms, flooding, storm surges, El Niño and
La Niña.
Let’s Understand
HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL HAZARDS
Process or phenomenon of atmospheric, hydrological or oceanographic nature (that
may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of
livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage.

TYPES OF HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL HAZARDS AND ITS IMPENDING SIGNS

A. TYPHOONS
In 2013, Time Magazine stated that the Philippines is the most exposed country to
typhoons. The deadliest typhoon in history struck the country in November 2013. It was named
Typhoon Yolanda (with an international name of Typhoon Haiyan). Over six thousand people lost
their lives and over 1 million people’s homes were damaged, displacing over 600,000 people
(Give2Asia.org).
Typhoons are characterized by an intense circular storm that originates over warm tropical
oceans and is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds, and heavy rain. In the image
below, you can see that a typhoon is also known as a tropical cyclone or hurricane. Around North
America, we call tropical cyclones "hurricanes." In the western Pacific Asia, they call tropical
cyclones "typhoons." In most of the southern hemisphere and the Indian Ocean, they simply call
tropical cyclones a "tropical cyclone”. The only difference with these three terms is the location
where it occurs.
Figure 3.1 Hurricane, Cyclone and Typhoon. Source:
https://www.geni.com/projects/Tropical-Cyclone-
Hurricane-Typhoon/29402

Key “Ingredients” of typhoon formation -

Warm ocean (over 26oC) and cluster of
thunderstorms.

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Parts of a typhoon - The calmest portion at the center is called the eye. Winds converging toward
the center are deflected by the Coriolis force , which is a
deflection caused by the rotation of the earth. The strongest
winds of a tropical cyclone ( maximum sustained winds ) are
located closest to the eye of the storm, in an area called the
eyewall or wall cloud (Quipper Limited, 2018).
Figure 3.2 Cross section of a typhoon
Source: Quipper Limited, 2018

Table 1 shows theTropical Cyclone

Intensity scale developed by
Philippine
Atmospheric Geophysical and
Astronomical Services
Administration
(PAGASA). Each category
corresponds to sustained winds
measured in kilometers per hour.
source:https://www1.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/index.php/learning-tools/94-weather/479-tropical-cyclones#classification-of-tropical-cycl
ones
Signs of Impending Typhoon - strong winds, dark clouds,
blowing debris and sea levels start to rise, barometers starts to drop,
cirrus clouds start to appear, roaring noises and waves start to form
white caps (Martell,n.d)

B. THUNDERSTORMS
A thunderstorm is a weather condition characterized by
heavy rain and wind accompanied by lightning, thunder; sometimes
with hail and tornadoes. It can last for 30 minutes to several hours.
Thunderstorm Formation - It requires moisture and rapidly
rising warm air. Frequently observed in equatorial regions and rarely
in polar regions. Convection is the key mechanism in thunderstorm
formation. Warm air near the ground rises and cooler air sinks. Warm Figure 3.3 Thunderstorm Formation
surface air will continue to rise since it is less dense than the
surrounding air. The rising air is called updraft , while the downward
moving air is called downdraft . Thunderstorms form when there is a balance of updrafts and
downdrafts.

Signs of Approaching Thunderstorm - Gentle warm air is suddenly replaced by strong,

chilly bursts of wind, lightning strikes accompanied by deafening thunder, and abrupt, intense
rain.

C. FLOODING
Flooding happens when areas usually not covered by water are engulfed or submerged.
In cases wherein there is rapid inundation (less than six hours), it is considered a flash flood.
Causes of Flooding - It is usually caused by a temporary rise in or overflowing of streams,
rivers, or confined bodies of water. It may also be due to prolonged rainfall, tsunami and storm
surge. You will learn more about storm surge in the next sections of this module.

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 D. STORM SURGES
A storm surge is an abnormal rise in seawater level during a storm. Similar to tsunami
formation, the water undergoes wave shoaling. The natural flow of water from sea to shore is
delayed by the friction between the water and the seabed, causing it to pile up. However, unlike
the earthquake-induced tsunami, storm
surges are driven by the force of storm
winds.
A gently sloping continental shelf is
more prone to storm surges and coastal
inundation than areas where the seafloor
is deep. A shallower seafloor allows the
water to travel inland with less difficulty.
Figure 3.4 Storm Surge Impact on Shallower Seafloor

A typhoon directly approaching the coastline is more likely to create a large storm surge
than one moving obliquely.

Figure 3.5 Typhoon Direction Impact on Coastline

E. EL NINO & LA NINA
El Niño and La Niña are opposite phases of what is known as the El Niño-Southern
Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. The ENSO cycle is a scientific term that describes the fluctuations in
temperature between the ocean and atmosphere in the east-central Equatorial Pacific,
approximately between the International Date Line and 120 degrees West (National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, United States)

Fig. 3.6 El Niño and La Niña

Source: https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/what-are-the-differences-between-el-nino-and-la-nina-1511951289-1
El Niño - It is a spanish term that translates to “The Little Boy” or “Christ Child” which
typically occurs around Christmas. In the Philippines, it usually starts between December and
February. It is characterized by unusually warm seawater in the Pacific. It brings droughts and
below normal rainfall. Signs: delayed onset of the rainy season; early termination of the rainy
reason; weak monsoon; and tropical cyclone activity.
La Niña - “The Little Girl”. It is characterized by sea surface temperatures lower than
average. It is also referred to as El Viejo (The Old Man) or anti-El Niño. It is caused by the upward
movement of cold water by unusually strong trade winds and ocean currents in a process called
upwelling which brings cooler, more nutrient-rich waters from lower depths to the surface, which is
profitable to the fishing industry.
El Niño and La Niña are monitored, assessed, and predicted through the Ocean Niño
Index (ONI). It is the average deviations in sea surface temperatures (SST’s). El Niño is indicated
by a positive ONI greater than or equal to +0.5ºC. La Niña is indicated by a negative ONI less

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than or equal to -0.5ºC. ONI values falling between +0.5ºC and -0.5ºC are considered ENSO-
neutral.

Hydrometeorological Hazard Maps

Objective: Interpret geological hazard maps

Let’s Understand
Interpreting Hazard Maps

The Philippines is prone to various climate/ weather-related hazards because of its

location in the tropics, along the path of typhoons, monsoons and El Niño-La Niña. Due to our
country’s location, it is important for you to understand hazard or risk maps.
In interpreting hazard maps, be mindful of the following: Read the labels; Focus on highlighted
areas; Use the legend usually located beside the map of an area in interpreting data.

Let’s Analyze
Study the following hazard maps and answer the following questions. Write
your answers in complete sentences on your answer sheet.

HAZARD MAP A HAZARD MAP B

1. What kind of hazard map is shown in A? in B?

2. What places/provinces in the Philippines are more prone to risks based on hazard map
A? Give at least 1.
3. Based on hazard map A, why do you think these regions are prone to this hazard? Give
at least 1.
4. What regions in the Philippines are more prone to risks based on hazard map B?
5. Based on hazard map B, why do you think these regions are prone to this hazard?

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 MONITORING HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL HAZARDS
Objectives
● Name different tools used in monitoring hydrometeorological hazards;
● Give the function of these tools.

Let’s Understand
To measure temperature, thermometer, maximum-minimum the
thermometer and thermograph are used. A thermometer measures the hotness or
coldness of a given substance. Temperature range can be measured using the
maximum-minimum thermometer. A thermograph is an instrument that records
air temperature continuously on graphing paper.
To measure atmospheric pressure, the following are used: mercurial barometer, aneroid
barometer and barograph. A mercurial barometer is a simple barometer made by filling a glass
tube 32 inches long with mercury and inverting it so that the open end of the tube is below the
surface of mercury in a cistern. An aneroid barometer is built around a sealed box that expands
or contracts with increasing pressure. A barograph is a recording barometer.
To measure atmospheric humidity, sling psychrometer, hygrometer and
hygrothermograph are used. The sling psychrometer consists of a dry and wet-bulb
thermometer. The term bulb refers to that portion of the glass tube where the mercury is stored.
The hygrometer is less accurate than the psychrometer. It uses human hair from which the oil has
been removed by using ether. The hygrothermograph records both relative humidity and
temperature on graph paper in the same manner as the thermograph and barograph do.
8-inch rain gauge and tipping bucket rain gauge are used to measure precipitation. The
8-inch rain gauge is the world-wide standard for measuring precipitation. A tipping bucket rain
gauge is an upright cylinder that has a funnel-shaped collector. The precipitation collected by the
collector empties into one side of a "tipping bucket".
To observe the clouds, ceiling light projector and ceiling balloon are used. A ceiling light
projector projects vertically a narrow beam of light on to a cloud base. Another way of determining
the height of the cloud base is by using a ceiling balloon. A ceiling balloon is a meteorological
balloon whose rate of ascent has been predetermined. It is filled with gas lighter than air, usually
hydrogen, and released. The time of release and the time the balloon disappears into the cloud
are recorded. The time difference multiplied by the rate of ascent will give the height of the cloud
base.
Here are some special instruments and their function:
1. Pilot Balloon / Theodolite - is used in conjunction with a theodolite; used to determine
the speed and direction of winds at different levels of the atmosphere
2. Radiosonde - airborne instrument used for measuring pressure, temperature and relative
humidity in the upper air
3. Rawinsonde - an electronic device used for measuring wind velocity, pressure,
temperature and humidity aloft
4. Rawin - short for Radar and Wind; an electronic device that measures pressure,
temperature and humidity
5. Wind Finding Radar - determines the speed and direction of winds aloft by means of radar
echoes
6. Weather Surveillance Radar - long range type which detects and tracks typhoons and
cloud masses at a distance of 400 kilometers or less.
D

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 WHAT TO DO BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER
A HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL DISASTER

Objective: Create a family plan on what to do before, during and after a

hydrometeorological disaster.

Let’s Create
Your goal is to prepare your whole family for hydrometeorological hazards.
As a responsible member of your family, you will take the lead in specific disaster
preparedness measures.
Create a floor plan of your house. Identify areas by using lines for partitions and
doors and shapes to represent furniture, appliances and other fixtures such as the
main switches, LPG tanks or electric outlets. You may include types of materials such as wood,
cement, metal, etc. Add space in-between the neighborhood and describe partitions/gates you
have in between.
Together with your family, choose 1 hydrometeorological hazard discussed in this module
and enumerate important reminders on how to prepare the family before, during and after that
hydrometeorological disaster.
Make this on a clean sheet of bond paper and attach it to your answer sheets. Your final
output needs to include the following:
1. House hazard map;
2. Family plan on what to do before, during and after your chosen hazard.
You will be graded based on this rubric:

Source: Quipper Limited, 2018

Let’s Try (Evaluation)

I. Modified True or False. On your answer sheet, write TRUE if the statement is correct. If it is
FALSE, change the underlined word to correct the statement.
1. A typhoon can be described as a system of rotating thunderstorms that developed over ocean
waters.
2. Updrafts and downdrafts must be unbalanced to form a thunderstorm.
3. Rapidly rising cold air leads to the formation of a thunderstorm.
4. Flooding happens when an area normally not covered in water that has become submerged.
5. The rising of seawater level during a storm is called a tsunami.
6. Drought is an expected result of La Niña.
7. Fishing industry has a positive impact from La Niña in the Philippines
8. Atmospheric pressure is responsible for rotational direction of tropical cyclones.
9. The hygrothermograph records both relative humidity and temperature on graph paper.

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 10. Pilot balloon and theodolite are used to determine the speed and direction of winds at different
levels of the atmosphere

II. Essay. Explain the following statements based on the concepts you learned in this module in
not more than 3 sentences.
1. A typhoon is said to be currently moving through your area but it seems that the weather around
your house is calm. How do you explain this? (2 points)
2. Based on the risk map on this module, Northern Luzon, Southeastern Luzon and Eastern
Visayas are the areas highly at risk of the occurrence of tropical depressions, tropical storms,
typhoons and super typhoons. What makes these areas at high risk? (3 points)
3. It is extremely important to monitor weather conditions. Can you explain why? (3 points)
4. At home, we can also use a room thermometer to measure the temperature of our
surroundings. Give the importance of doing this. (2 points