Typhoon

Tracking

JADE T. LEGASPI
School Head
OBJECTIVES:
1. Define and differentiate cyclone, typhoon,
hurricane.
2. Discuss how typhoons are formed.
3. Identify parts/anatomy of a typhoon.
4. Identify the strongest, deadliest and costliest
typhoons in the Philippines.
5. Describe how typhoons are categorized.
6. Discuss ways in preparing for a typhoon.
FACTS ABOUT TROPICAL
CYCLONE
1. They are formed near the equator.
2. They are formed in warm seas.
3. They loss strength as they make landfall.
4. Tropical cyclones vary in diameter, strength,
speed and direction.
TYPHOON SISANG/NINA (1987)
CATEGORY 5
TYPHOON ROSING/ANGELA (1995)
CATEGORY 5
TYPHOON MILENYO/XANGNE (2006)
CATEGORY 4
TYPHOON REMING/DURIAN (2006)
CATEGORY 4
TYPHOON GLENDA /RAMMASUN(2014)
CATEGORY 5
TYPHOON NONA/MELOR (2015)
CATEGORY 4
 Typhoon, Cyclone & Hurricane

 A “typhoon” is the term used to describe the same weather

feature as a “cyclone” or a “hurricane”: the term Typhoon is used
for intense low pressure weather systems in the northwest
Pacific; the term Cyclone is used when referring to an intense low
pressure weather system over the Indian Ocean and the South
Pacific; and, the term Hurricane is used when referring to an
intense low pressure weather system over the Atlantic Ocean and
East Pacific.
 Of interest, only one Hurricane has ever been recorded over the
South Atlantic (March 2004), although weather systems that
developed in the South Atlantic during March 2010 and March
2011 were classified as tropical cyclones for a few days each
before dissipating. Some suggest that the fact that these weather
systems have been recorded only within this century is additional
evidence of Man-induced climate change - no credible alternative
explanation has been accepted.
 What Is A Typhoon?
 A Typhoon is an intense area of low atmospheric
pressure. Like all low pressure weather systems observed
North of the Equator, the air rotates around the center of
an area of low pressure in an anti-clockwise direction
(clockwise if South of the Equator). The more intense the
area of low pressure the higher the wind speeds near the
center. A Typhoon is a low pressure weather system with
sustained wind speeds near its center of at least 56 knots
(about 105 kph).
 What Makes A Typhoon?
 Typhoons are made over the ocean; typhoons are not made over
land.
 To make a Typhoon you need a lot of warm, moist air evaporating
off the ocean surface and rising rapidly, creating the area of
relatively low pressure - a weather system. The rapid rising of the air
mass and the subsequent condensation of the moisture at altitude,
combined with the rotation of the Earth, are the necessary energy
components to facilitate rotation of the weather system; a Tropical
Depression (TD) is formed. When the upper atmospheric conditions
are conducive then the rotation is accelerated and the weather
feature forms into a Tropical Storm (TS). Assuming the Tropical
Storm remains over an area of warm ocean - with a sea surface
temperature above 26 degrees Celsius - then the weather system
will most likely continue to increase in rotation speed until it reaches
the status of a typhoon – sustained wind speeds in excess of 56
knots near its center. If the sea surface temperature is less than 26
degrees Celsius then a typhoon has insufficient energy and cannot
sustain itself; if the sea surface temperature is greater than 32
degrees Celsius then the weather system may become overpowered
and may dissipate, but this does not always happen.

Where Are Typhoons Made?
 In the northern hemisphere of the planet, Tropical Depressions can form
anywhere in the tropical region (5 - 22 degrees latitude). where the sea
surface temperature is above 26 degrees Celsius; only rarely do Tropical
Depressions form close to the equator (0 - 5 degrees latitude). Tropical
Depressions tend to move haphazardly until they reach Tropical Storm
status, at which point they tend to move in a westerly or northwesterly
direction. A Typhoon will almost always move northwest until it reaches the
subtropical zone (18 - 25 degrees latitude) when it will usually turn North and
then finally northeast before dissipating over cooler water.
 Typhoons with sustained wind speeds in excess of 115 knots (about 200 kph)
are frequently referred to as Super Typhoons, equivalent to a category 4
storm in the Atlantic; a Super Typhoon can have wind speeds near its center
in excess of 150 knots, these are becoming more frequent.
 With Man-induced climate change now apparently unstoppable, the
associated increase in sea surface temperature is also creating stronger
storms, more frequently. On 6th November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (Philippine
name Yolanda) made the record books as the strongest storm ever to make
landfall anywhere around the planet, as it smashed into the town of Guiuan,
on the southeast corner of Samar, Philippines, with wind gusts in excess of
200 knots (370 kph) . . . it also generated a storm surge of (estimated) 7
metres high
 How Hurricanes Form
 In order for a hurricane to form, at least two things must be
present. An existing low pressure weather disturbance needs to
move over warm ocean waters. Hurricanes thrive on warm
water and will typically only form when water is above 80
degrees Fahrenheit. The combination of warm air and warm
water allows a hurricane to develop. Other favorable
ingredients for a tropical cyclone are humid air and low
vertical wind shear, which is the change in wind velocity with
height.
 Costliest Philippine typhoons

Damage
Rank Storm Season Ref.
PHP USD

1 Haiyan (Yolanda) 2013 ₱95.5 billion  Template documentation

$2.2 billion [1]

2 Bopha (Pablo) 2012 ₱43.2 billion $1.06 billion [2]

3 Rammasun (Glenda) 2014 ₱38.6 billion $885 million [3]

4 Mangkhut (Ompong) 2018 ₱33.9 billion $627 million [4]

5 Parma (Pepeng) 2009 ₱27.3 billion $581 million [5]

6 Nesat (Pedring) 2011 ₱15.6 billion $356 million [2]

7 Koppu (Lando) 2015 ₱14.4 billion $313 million [6]

8 Fengshen (Frank) 2008 ₱13.5 billion $304 million [7]

9 Megi (Juan) 2010 ₱12 billion $278 million [2]

10 Ketsana (Ondoy) 2009 ₱11 billion $233 million [5]

2016 TYPHOON SEASON