Understanding

Typhoons

Ms. Marinel A. Degoma

Earth & Space Teacher
1. Why is the Philippines prone to typhoons?
2.What conditions favor the formation of
typhoons?
Ondoy Sendong
Milenyo

Lannie Maring
Activity1.1 Article Analysis
Read the article entitled Unusual Typhoon
Leaves Southern Philippines Reeling by
clicking on the link
http://www.the
world.org/2012/12/unusual-typhoon-
leaves-southern-Philippines-reeling/
“But now forecasters are warning that
Bopha (local name: Pablo) might take
a turn back toward land and hit the
country again, farther to the north”.
1. In what ways is Typhoon Pablo (international

?
name Bopha), which hit the Southern part of our
country on December 2012, unusual?
2. What is your “usual” idea of a typhoon?
3. How do they form and develop?
“It was the country’s strongest storm of the year when it
hit earlier this week. Combine that with a hilly
landscape ravaged by mining and a population
unprepared for a storm, and the awful result is more
than 400 dead, nearly as many missing, and more than
300-thousand homeless.”
“The country’s interior minister pointed to allegations
of illegal mining and haphazard building on dangerous
terrain, both of which are common in region.”
4. What reasons do you think are the

? author’s reasons for saying that our population

is “unprepared for a storm?”
5. Why is our country very much exposed to
the risks and hazards of typhoons?
 Activity 1.2: Getting to Know
Important Terms about Typhoons

PART I. Using Tag Galaxy

Get to know typhoon by looking at tags
and photos related to it. Go to this site:
http://taggalaxy.de/
Exercise 1.1
Write all the terms and words that you
gathered in a vocabulary journal:
VOCABULARY JOURNAL: TYPHOONS
TERM/ WORD/ CONCEPT DEFINITION/ MEANING/
IMPORTANCE
PART 2: Using Station Models and Weather Updates
Add more terms to your vocabulary journal on
typhoons by looking at station models and severe
weather updates. The terms used in weather forecasts
are very important in understanding typhoons.
Go to this website:
http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/stationplot_pri
nter.html
http://weather.com.ph/weathertv/mr-typhoons-
special-coverage-on-typhoon-soulik-huaning-fri-july-
12-2013
Exercise 1.1
Add to your vocabulary journal the new terms and
words that you gathered from the two websites.
VOCABULARY JOURNAL: TYPHOONS
TERM/ WORD/ CONCEPT DEFINITION/ MEANING/ IMPORTANCE
 VOCABULARY JOURNAL: TYPHOONS
TERM/ WORD/ CONCEPT DEFINITION/ MEANING/ IMPORTANCE
1. WEATHER the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot
or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy.

2. WIND the flow of gases on a large scale.

3. WIND SPEED wind flow velocity, is a fundamental atmospheric quantity.

Wind speed is caused by air moving from high pressure to low pressure, usually
due to changes in temperature.

4. PRESSURE sometimes also called barometric pressure, is the pressure within

the atmosphere of Earth (or that of another planet). In most circumstances
atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic
pressure caused by the weight of air above the measurement point.

5. RAIN
liquid water in the form of droplets that
have condensed from atmospheric water
vapor and then becomes heavy enough to fall under gravity.
 VOCABULARY JOURNAL: TYPHOONS
TERM/ WORD/ CONCEPT DEFINITION/ MEANING/ IMPORTANCE
6. THUNDERSTORM also known as an electrical storm, lightning storm, or thundershower, is a storm
characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth‘s
atmosphere, known as thunder. Thunderstorms occur in association with a type
of cloud known as a cumulonimbus. They are usually accompanied by strong
winds, heavy rain, and sometimes snow, sleet, hail, or, in contrast, no precipitation at all.
7. STORM SURGE is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated
with low pressure weather systems (such as tropical cyclones and strong extratropical
cyclones), the severity of which is affected by the shallowness and orientation of the
water body relative to storm path, as well as the timing of tides.

8. SKY COVER / CLOUD COVER (also known as cloudiness, cloudage, or cloud amount) refers to the fraction of
the sky obscured by clouds when observed from a particular location. Okta is the usual
unit of measurement of the cloud cover. The cloud cover is correlated to the sunshine
duration as the least cloudy locales are the sunniest ones while the cloudiest areas are
the least sunny places.

9. LAND FALL the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. When a waterspout makes
landfall it becomes a regular tornado, which can then cause damage inland. When a fair
weather waterspout makes landfall it usually dissipates quickly as it loses the inflow of
warm air into the vortex.
 VOCABULARY JOURNAL: TYPHOONS
TERM/ WORD/ CONCEPT DEFINITION/ MEANING/ IMPORTANCE
10. MONSOON is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes
in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and
precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea.

11. OCEAN HEAT CONTENT (OHC) the heat stored in the ocean

12. ITCZ (INTERTROPICAL known by sailors as the doldrums, is the area encircling Earth near the Equator, where the northeast
CONVERGENCE ZONE) and southeast trade winds converge.

is a region on the topographic map where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of
13. LPA (LOW PRESSURE AREA)
surrounding locations.

14. TYPHOON TRACK involves predicting where a tropical cyclone is going to track over the next five days, every 6 to
(TROPICAL CYCLONE TRACK 12 hours.
FORECASTING)

15. “DEVELOPING SYSTEM” IN Traditionally, areas of tropical cyclone formation are divided into seven basins. These include the
THE WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN north Atlantic Ocean, the eastern and western parts of the northern Pacific Ocean, the southwestern
Pacific, the southwestern and southeastern Indian Oceans, and the northern Indian Ocean (Arabian
(TROPICAL CYCLONE BASINS)
Sea and Bay of Bengal).
 What is a Typhoon?

The maximum
sustained winds is 120
kph to 185 kph.
TYPHOON Northwestern part of
the Pacific Ocean

HURRICANE Northeastern part of

the Pacific Ocean and
in the Northern part
of the Atlantic Ocean
 MAXIMUM WIND SPEED
CATEGORY kilometers per hour
(kph)

Tropical Depression Between 55 and64

Tropical Storm 65 and 119

Typhoon 120 to 185

Super typhoon Greater than 185

How Typhoons Develop?
Procedures: 1. Prepare the materials.
2. Place the two caps back to back. Wrap them with
masking tape. Wrap the tape around several times
to make the connection strong and leak-proof. Drill
a hole through both of them. If you do not have a
drill, use a heated nail to make a hole.
3. Fill one bottle with water. Then screw one of the
caps onto the bottle. Then screw the other bottle
onto the other cap.
4. Turn the whole setup so the filled water is on top.
Shake the filled water either a circular motion
(counter-clockwise) until a whirlpool is formed in
the water.
 CLOUD WATCH

CIRRUS CLOUDS – thin, feathery

clouds No clouds – clear sky
FAIR WEATHER (few clouds) FAIR WEATHER
APPROACHING WEATHER
FRONT (many clouds)
 CLOUD WATCH

CUMULUS CLOUDS – gray at the STRATOCUMULUS CLOUDS – low-

base and white on top lying lumpy clouds
FAIR WEATHER NO RAIN likely within 20 – 24 hours
 CLOUD WATCH

CIRROCUMULUS CLOUDS – most NIMBUS CLOUDS – dark, heavy

likely to bring afternoon shower clouds
EXPECT RAIN
 WEATHER WATCH

ANEMOMETER –
measures the speed of
the wind
WIND VANE – shows the THERMOMETER –
direction of the wind measures air
temperature
 WEATHER WATCH

RAIN GAUGE OR PRECIPATION BAROMETER – measures air

GAUGE – measures amount or level pressure
of rain collected over a period of
time
 Steps in Typhoon Development
1. Evaporation of water at ocean surface temperature of 26.5°C or higher.
2. Warm, moist air rises upwards from ocean surface, leaving a low pressure area near
the ocean surface.
3. Air from surrounding high pressure areas rushes towards the low pressure area. This
air initially dry and cooler, but near the ocean surface, the air is heated and carries
more water vapor from continuous evaporation.
4. As the warm air rises towards the cooler parts of the upper atmosphere, it cools off
and the water vapor begins to condense to form clouds.
5. More clouds form and wind speed picks up as the Coriolis effect causes the air to
spiral as it rises. As the winds rotate faster, the low pressure area near the ocean
surface becomes a tropical depression, and may eventually turn into a typhoon.
Conditions for Typhoon Formation

1.Continuous evaporation and

water cycles
2.Differences in air pressure
3.Convergent winds
Activity 1.4: NET EXPLORATION –
Learning How Typhoons Form
Basics of Typhoon and Typhoon Formation
Answer the questions on your own, then click on the
provided links to get the correct answers and to learn
more:
1. What is a hurricane, a typhoon, or a tropical cyclone?
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/A1.html
http://factsanddetails.com/world.php?itemid=1317&catid
=52&subcatid=327
2. What is a tropical disturbance, a tropical depression, or a
tropical storm?
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/A5.html
3. What are the conditions for a tropical cyclone to form?
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/A15.html
http://factsanddetails.com/world.php?itemid=1317&catid
=52&subcatid=327
4. What is the eye? How is it formed and maintained?
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/A11.html
5. Can a tropical cyclone weaken and “die”? How?
http://weather.com.ph/ndex.php?url=typhoon
/climatology
 Typhoon – prone
Philippines

Why is the Philippine

archipelago prone to
typhoons?
Philippine Atmospheric
Geophysical and
Astronomical Services
Administration
Activity 1: Plotting the PAR
Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1. Read map,
2. Given the latitude and longitude of a tropical cyclone,
tell if it has entered the Philippine Area of
Responsibility, and
3. Explain what is meant when a typhoon has entered the
Philippine Area of Responsibility
Q1: If a typhoon is located at 15°N,
138°E, is it within the PAR?

 No, the typhoon is

outside the PAR.
Q2: How about if the typhoon is at
19°N, 117°E, is it inside the PAR?

No, the typhoon is

outside the PAR.
Why are some parts of the
Philippines not visited by
typhoons and some are
frequently visited?
How Landforms and Bodies of Water Affect Typhoons
The Philippines has a tropical marine climate dominated by
a rainy season and a dry season. Northeast monsoon
(Amihan) is experienced from November to April and
southwest monsoon (Habagat) from May to October.
Monsoon rains, although hard and drenching are not
normally associated with high winds and waves. But the
Philippines does sit astride the typhoon belt, and it suffers
an annual onslaught of dangerous storms from July through
October.
The existing weather conditions in the Philippines are not
only affected by its latitudinal location, but also by
landmasses and bodies of water that surround its group
islands.
1. Mindoro, Negros, Palawan, and the western part of Luzon are
regions bounded inland by mountain ranges while located on their
western side is the Indian Ocean.
How do you think this affects rainfall and typhoon in the area?

The blowing Northeast Monsoon is blocked by the

mountain ranges. However, the Southwest
Monsoon blows freely over them, and this can give
them plenty of rainfall. From November to April,
these areas experience dry season. From May to
October, it is rainy season, and they are also open
to hurricanes that will form over the Atlantic Ocean.
2. Places located at the Eastern Coast of the Philippines like the eastern part of
Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Eastern Albay;
eastern and northern part of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur; northern and
Eastern Samar, southern Leyte; and eastern Mindanao are all exposed to the
Philippine Sea.
How do you think this affects rainfall and typhoon in the area?

The Northeast Monsoon freely blows

over them, bringing them cold winds and
some rains. The air masses that blow
over this region are wet as they collect
moisture when they pass over the
neighboring seas.
3. Western Cagayan, western Isabela, Nueva Viscaya, eastern Mountain
Province, Southern Luzon, Masbate, and Mindanao are regions trapped
in the middle of eastern part of the country. They are also situated at
the east of the mountain ranges in the western part of the country.
How do you think this affects rainfall and typhoon in the area?

The air masses that reach them are dry.

The mountain ranges scrape off much of
the moisture in the wind or totally block
the wind, and the moisture from the air
masses has already been precipitated
over the eastern and western coastlines.
4. Batanes, Northeastern Luzon, the western part of Camarines Norte, and
Camarines Sur, western Albay, eastern Mindoro, Marinduque, western Leyte,
northern Cebu, northern Negros, and most of the southern, central, and northern
Mindanao are areas located in the inner middle part of the archipelago, but are open
to an inland bodies of water (big open seas). Forested mountain ranges are found
within the boundaries of these places.
How do you think this affects rainfall and typhoon in the area?

There is no dry season in these places and no heavy

rainfall. The trees in the forest give off a lot of water
vapor in the atmosphere when they transpire adding
a lot of moisture. The forests block off the moisture-
laden air masses that have passed over the big open
seas scraping much of their moisture.
 Why are some parts of the Philippines
not visited by typhoons and some are
frequently visited?

Elevated landforms and bodies of

water can have an affect on
typhoons.
Under what conditions
do tropical cyclones form?
Where did the tropical cyclones
form? On land or in the ocean?
 Started in the Pacific Ocean. Tropical cyclones usually
form where there is warm water. The temperature
should be 26.5°C or more.
 The rising warm air results in a low pressure area.
 The water vapor condenses and heat is given off. The
heat makes the air rise even more, and air in the
surroundings will keep coming in. The air starts to spin,
and a tropical cyclone is born.
What can you say about the temperature of
the bodies of water in the vicinity of the
Philippines? Is the water warm or cold?
 Our country is located near the equator. Thus, it is
war in the vicinity of the Philippines, both on land
and in the surrounding bodies of water. The warm
water supplies the water vapor that a tropical cyclone
needs to keep it going.
In what direction did the tropical cyclones
move?
 Tropical cyclones move in a northwest direction. Not all tropical
cyclones move this way. But this is the general rule for those that
start from the Pacific Ocean.
Tropical cyclones exit at the northeast and go toward Taiwan and
Japan.
REASONS:
 There could be a low pressure area in that region.
 There could be a high pressure area in the path of the tropical cyclone.
Which part of the Philippines was
hit by the four tropical cyclones?

 All the four tropical cyclones hit northern

Philippines or the island of Luzon.
The tropical cyclones start: at the latitude of the
Visayas and Mindanao.
When a tropical cyclone moves to the northwest,
it ends up in Luzon.
Reasons when Mindanao hit by
tropical cyclones:

1. The tropical cyclone starts at a latitude

closer to the equator.
2. The tropical cyclone moves directly
west, instead of moving to the
northwest.
In the case of Agaton, Yoyong, and Huaning,
where did they die out? Near land or in the
middle of the ocean?
 Tropical cyclones weaken when they hit land. They
die out over land because they need warm water to
sustain them. They need water vapor to keep them
going. Even when the tropical cyclone is still in a
body of water, it may weaken and die out if the
water is cold.
Activity 2: Tracking a tropical
cyclone
Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1. Determine if your location is in the path of a tropical
cyclone, given the latitude and longitude position and
2. Explain why PAGASA regularly monitors when a tropical
cyclone is within PAR.
Q3: Where did Sendong form?

 Sendong formed in the

Pacific Ocean.
Q4: When did Sendong enter the
PAR?

 Sendong entered the PAR

on December 15, 2011.
Q5: When did Sendong leave the
PAR?

 Sendong left the PAR on

December 18, 2011.
Q6: In what direction did
Sendong move?

 Sendong moved in a
westward direction.
Inside Tropical Cyclones
 EYE OF A TROPICAL CYCLONE

Lowest air EYEWALL

pressure
Low wind speed High Wind Speed
Calm weather Winds at the
eyewall that wreak
a lot of damage
Activity 3: Dissecting a tropical
cyclone
Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1. Explain what two weather factors tell weathermen that
a certain location is at the eye of a tropical cyclone; and
2. Put in simple words the statement “calm before the
storm.”
Q7: Location A is within the eye of the tropical cyclone. B, C
and D are locations that are more and more distant from the
eye. The air pressure at the different locations are:
Location A B C D
Air pressure* 930 960 980 990
in millibars (mb)
* Air pressure refers to the weight of air over a certain area.

Compare the air pressures at . What do you notice?

 The air pressure at A (within the eye of the typhoon)

is less than the air pressures at locations away from
the eye.
Q8: Location E is within the eye of the tropical cyclone.
Location F is within the clouds surrounding the eye. The
clouds at F make up the eyewall. The wind speeds at the two
locations are:
Location E F
Wind speed 10 200
(km/hour)
Compare the wind speed within the eye and at the eyewall. What can
you say?

 The wind speed at the eyewall is much greater than

the wind speed at the eye.
 Are you
prepared?
 PUBLIC STORM WARNING SIGNALS (PSWS)
PSWS No. 1
What it means
A tropical cyclone will affect the locality.
Winds 30-60 kph may be expected in at least 36 hours or irregular rains may be expected within 36
hours.
The following may happen
Twigs and branches of small trees are broken.
Some banana plants are tilted or downed.
Some houses of very light materials partially unroofed.
Rice crops suffer significant damage in its flowering stage.
What to do
Watch out for big waves.
Listen to severe weather bulletin issued by PAGASA.
 PUBLIC STORM WARNING SIGNALS (PSWS)

PSWS No. 2

What it means
A tropical cyclone will affect the locality.
Winds of greater than 60 kph up to 100 kph may be
expected in at least 24 hours
The following may happen
Large number of nipa and cogon houses may be partially or totally unroofed
Some old galvanized iron roof may be peeled off
Winds may bring light to moderate damage to exposed communities
Some coconut trees may be tilted while few are broken
Few big trees may be uprooted
Many banana plants may be downed
Rice and corn may be adversely affected
What to do
Avoid riding in small seacraft
Those who travel by sea and air should avoid unnecessary risks
Postpone outdoor activities of children
 PUBLIC STORM WARNING SIGNALS (PSWS)

PSWS No. 3

What it means
A tropical cyclone will affect the locality.
Winds of greater than 100 kph up to 185 kph may be
expected in at least 18 hours
The following may happen
Many coconut trees broken or destroyed
Almost all banana plants downed and a large number of trees uprooted
Rice and corn crops suffer heavy losses
Majority of all nipa and cogon houses uprooted or destroyed; considerable damage
to structures of light to medium construction
Widespread disruption of electrical power and communication services
Moderate to heavy damage experienced in agricultural and industrial sectors
What to do
Avoid riding in any seacraft
Seek shelter in strong buildings
Evacuate from low-lying areas
 PUBLIC STORM WARNING SIGNALS (PSWS)

PSWS No. 4

What it means
A very intense typhoon will affect locality
Very strong winds of more than 185 kph may be expected in
at least 12 hours
The following may happen
Coconut plantation may suffer extensive damage
Many large trees maybe uprooted
Rice and corn plantation may suffer severe losses
Most residential and institutional buildings of mixed
construction maybe severely damaged
Electrical power distribution and communication services
maybe severely disrupted
Damage to affected communities can be very heavy
What to do

All travels and outdoor activities should be

cancelled
Evacuation to safer shelters should have
been completed by now
The locality is very likely to be hit directly
by the eye of the typhoon
 Nationwide
Operational
Assessment of
Hazards
Preparing for
a Typhoon
There are a few more things that you can
have handy especially if you live in high-
risk areas.
Have a list of emergency numbers ready-barangay,
police, fire department, hospitals, etc.
Have a list of contact numbers of family members.
Some cash
Vitamin C
Raincoat
There are a few more things that you can
have handy especially if you live in high-
risk areas.

A couple of cellphone cards for prepaid

cellphones
Solar charger (optional but very helpful)
Drinking water and emergency food
Dry set of clothes and blanket
 Best practices that you can teach
members of your family
Know what possible disaster can affect your community so you can prepare
against them.
Discuss disaster preparedness in your family. Get everyone involved and you
can be an agent of change to launch this attitude of preparedness at home.
Have a written guide of what to do and who will be in charge of turning off
electricity and gas.
Check your house.
Be aware of who to call or where to go in the neighborhood in case of a
disaster.
 Best practices that you can teach
members of your family
Charge your cellphones and gadgets at night so that they are fully charged.
Invest in extra batteries.
If you have a vehicle at home, it should be at least half-filled when parked at
night so if you need to escape, your fuel reserve is not at a critical level.
Have an escape route planned for several scenarios:
a. If you have to escape on foot against a flood, plan where to rum to get
to higher ground.
b. If you can escape by vehicle, make sure your emergency supplies are
easily loaded and an accessible place to the people in charge of loading them.
 Best practices that you can teach
members of your family
If your community or local government unit (LGU) has organized a general
escape route and has assigned a temporary meeting point or shelter, be
aware of these plans and make sure everyone in your family is aware, too.
If power is not cut and you have an Internet access, monitor rainfall and
water level in the stream nearest to you through the PAGASA and Project
NOAH websites.
Always have a battery-operated radio with back up batteries stocked so you
can listen to news updates even when the power is out.
“God is good,
all the time.”