Typhoons in the Philippines

In the Philippines, tropical cyclones (typhoons) are called bagyo.[1] Tropical cyclones entering the Philippine area of responsibility are given a local name by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), which also raises public storm signal warnings as deemed necessary.[2][3] Around 19 tropical cyclones or storms enter the Philippine Area Of Responsibility in a typical year and of these usually 6 to 9 make landfall.[4][5]

The deadliest tropical cyclone to impact the Philippines was Tropical Storm Thelma (Uring) which in 1991 caused floods that killed thousands of people.[6] The wettest known tropical cyclone to impact the archipelago was the July 1911 cyclone which dropped over 1,168 millimetres (46.0 in) of rainfall within a 24-hour period in Baguio City.[1] Tropical cyclones usually account for at least 30 percent of the annual rainfall in the northern Philippines while being responsible for less than 10 percent of the annual rainfall in the southern islands.

Contents

Bagyo

The term bagyo, a Tagalog word meaning typhoon arose after a 1911 storm in the city of Baguio had a record rainfall of 46 inches within a 24-hour period.[1][7][8]

Variability in activity

On an annual time scale, activity reaches a minimum in February, before increasing steadily through June, and spiking from July through October, with September being the most active month for tropical cyclones in the Philippines. Activity falls off significantly in November.[9] The most active season, since 1945, for tropical cyclone strikes on the island archipelago was 1993 when nineteen tropical cyclones moved through the country.[10] There was only one tropical cyclone which moved through the Philippines in 1958.[11] The most frequently impacted areas of the Philippines by tropical cyclones are northern Luzon and eastern Visayas.[12] A ten year average of satellite determined precipitation showed that at least 30 percent of the annual rainfall in the northern Philippines could be traced to tropical cyclones, while the southern islands receive less than 10 percent of their annual rainfall from tropical cyclones.[13]

Public Storm Warning Signals

Signal #1
winds of 30–60 km/h (20-35 mph) are expected to occur within 36 hours
Signal #2
winds of 60–100 km/h (40-65 mph) are expected to occur within 24 hours
Signal #3
winds of 100–185 km/h, (65-115 mph) are expected to occur within 18 hours.
Signal #4
winds of at least 185 km/h, (115 mph) are expected to occur within 12 hours.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) releases tropical cyclone warnings in the form of Public Storm Warning Signals.[3] An area having a storm signal may be under:

These storm signals are usually raised when an area (in the Philippines only) is about to be hit by a tropical cyclone. As a tropical cyclone gains strength and/or gets nearer to an area having a storm signal, the warning may be upgraded to a higher one in that particular area (e.g. a signal #1 warning for an area may be increased to signal #3). Conversely, as a tropical cyclone weakens and/or gets farther to an area, it may be downgraded to a lower signal or may be lifted (that is, an area will have no storm signal).

Classes for preschool are canceled when Signal #1 is in effect. High school classes and below are canceled under Signal #2 and classes for colleges and universities and below are canceled under Signal #3.

Deadliest

Rank Storm Dates of impact Deaths
1 Thelma/Uring 1991 November 4-7 , 1991 5,101-8,000[6]
2 September 1867 Typhoon September 20, 1867 1,800[14]
3 Winnie 2004 November 27–30, 2004 1,593
4 October 1897 Typhoon October 7, 1897 1,500[14]
5 Fengshen/Frank 2008 June 20–23, 2008 1,410
6 Durian/Reming 2006 November 29-December 1, 2006 1,399
7 Washi/Sendong 2011 December 16-17, 2011 1,249
8 October 1617 Typhoon October 10, 1617 1,000[14]
9 Amy 1951 December 6–19, 1951 991[15]
10 Nina/Sisang 1987 November 23–27, 1987 979

Most destructive

Costliest Philippine typhoons
Rank Names Dates of impact PHP USD Ref
1 Parma, (Pepeng) October 2-10, 2009 27.3 billion 608 million [16]
2 Nesat, (Pedring) September 26-28, 2011 15 billion 333 million [17]
3 Fengshen, (Frank) June 20 -23, 2008 13.5 billion 301 million [18]
4 Ketsana, (Ondoy) September 25 -27, 2009 11 billion 244 million [16]
5 Mike, (Ruping) November 10 - 14, 1990 10.8 billion 241 million [19]
6 Angela, (Rosing) October 30 - November 4, 1995 10.8 billion 241 million [19]
7 Flo, (Kadiang) October 2 - October 6, 1993 8.75 billion 195 million [19]
8 Megi (Juan) October 18 - October 21, 2010 8.32 billion 193 million [20]
9 Muifa (Unding), Merbok (Violeta), Winnie November 14–30, 2004 7.45 billion 166 million [21]
10 Babs, (Loleng) October 20 - 23 1998 6.79 billion 151 million [19]

Wettest recorded tropical cyclones

Main article: List of wettest tropical cyclones by country
Wettest tropical cyclones in the Philippines
Highest known recorded totals
Precipitation Storm Measurement
station
Rank (mm) (in)
1 1168.4 mm 46.00 inches July 1911 cyclone Baguio City[1]
2 1085.8 mm 42.45 inches Utor/Feria 2001 Baguio City[6]
3 1012.7 mm 39.87 inches Mindulle/Igme 2004 [22]
4 994.6 mm 39.16 inches Zeb/Iliang 1998 Baguio City[22]
5 902.0 mm 35.51 inches Kujira/Dante 2009 [23]
6 869.6 mm 34.24 inches Dinah/Openg 1977 Western Luzon[24]
7 817.9 mm 32.20 inches Elaine 1974 Baguio City[25]
8 723.0 mm 29.46 inches Linfa/Chedeng 2003 Tondoligan(Park),Dagupan,Pangasinan[26]
9 747.0 mm 29.41 inches Gordon/Goring 1989 John Hay AB[27]
10 685.0 mm 26.97 inches Parma/Pepeng 2009 Baguio City

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Glossary of Meteorology. Baguio. Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
  2. ^ Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Hurricane Research Division. "Frequently Asked Questions: What are the upcoming tropical cyclone names?". NOAA. http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/B2.html. Retrieved 2006-12-11. 
  3. ^ a b Republic of the Philippines. Department of Science and Technology. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. (n.d.). The Modified Philippine Public Storm Warning Signals. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
  4. ^ Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Appendix B: Characteristics of Tropical Cyclones Affecting the Philippine Islands (Shoemaker 1991). Retrieved on 2008-04-20.
  5. ^ Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). (January 2009). Member Report to the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee, 41st Session. http://www.typhooncommittee.org/41st/docs/TC2_MemberReport2008_PHILIPPINES1.pdf. Retrieved 2009-12-17. 
  6. ^ a b c Leoncio A. Amadore, Ph.D. Socio-Economic Impacts of Extreme Climatic Events in the Philippines. Retrieved on 2007-02-25.
  7. ^ English, Fr. Leo James (2004, 19th printing), Tagalog-English Dictionary, Manila: Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, p. 117, ISBN 971-08-4357-5 
  8. ^ Philippine Center for Language Study; Jean Donald Bowen (1965), Jean Donald Bowen, ed., Beginning Tagalog: a course for speakers of English (10 ed.), University of California Press, p. 349, ISBN 9780520001565, http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=rr_b8y_B0EsC 
  9. ^ Ricardo García-Herrera, Pedro Ribera, Emiliano Hernández and Luis Gimeno (2003-09-26). "Typhoons in the Philippine Islands, 1566-1900". David V. Padua. p. 40. http://www.typhoon2000.ph/stormstats/PhilippineTyphoons1566-1900.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  10. ^ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2009). "Member Report Republic of the Philippines". Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. World Meteorological Organization. http://www.typhooncommittee.org/41st/docs/TC2_MemberReport2008_PHILIPPINES1.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-14. 
  11. ^ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (1959). "1958". United States Navy. 
  12. ^ Colleen A. Sexton (2006). Philippines in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 9780822526773. http://books.google.com/books?id=ffGdShrIrQAC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=most+active+typhoon+season+for+the+philippines&source=web&ots=JQck52fPts&sig=PE_ckmzTSjVSzPPCce5zMjPnj-w&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPA2,M1. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 
  13. ^ Edward B. Rodgers, Robert F. Adler, and Harold F. Pierce. Satellite-measured rainfall across the Pacific Ocean and tropical cyclone contribution to the total. http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=display-figures&name=i1520-0450-39-10-1658-f02. Retrieved 2008-11-25. 
  14. ^ a b c Pedro Ribera, Ricardo Garcia-Herrera and Luis Gimeno (July 2008). "Historical deadly typhoons in the Philippines". Weather (Royal Meteorological Society) 63 (7): 196. 
  15. ^ Ten Worst Typhoons of the Philippines (A Summary)
  16. ^ a b "Situation report no.50 on Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) and Typhoon Pepeng (Parma)". Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council. 2009-11-17. http://210.185.184.53/ndccWeb/images/ndccWeb/ndcc_update/TS_Ondoy_and_TY_Pepeng/ndcc%20update%20sitrep%20no.%2050%20on%20ts%20ondoy%20and%20typhoon%20pepeng%20as%20of%20%2017%20nov%202009%2C%208am.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-14. 
  17. ^ http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/climate-weather/stories/as-typhoon-nesat-departs-philippines-tallies-the-damage
  18. ^ http://210.185.184.53/ndccWeb/images/ndccWeb/ndcc_update/TC_FRANK/sitrep33_tyfrank.pdf
  19. ^ a b c d "Destructive typhoons 1970-2003". National Disaster Coordinating Council. 2009-05-01. Archived from the original on 2004-10-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20041028224429/http://baseportal.com/cgi-bin/baseportal.pl?htx=/miso/typhoons. Retrieved 2010-05-13. 
  20. ^ "Typhoon Juan Update". NDRRMC (formerly NDCC). 2010-10-23. http://ndcc.gov.ph/attachments/103_NDRRMC%20Update%20SitRep%20No.19%20as%20of%2023%20Oct%202010-6PM.pdf. Retrieved 2010-10-23. 
  21. ^ "Most destructive tropical cyclones". GMA News.tv. 2009-06-25. http://www.gmanews.tv/story/165806/most-destructive-tropical-cyclones. Retrieved 2009-06-25. 
  22. ^ a b Padgett, Gary; Kevin Boyle, Huang Chunliang, and Simon Clarke (2006-10-26). "Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary June 2004". Australian Severe Weather Index. Jimmy Deguara. http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/2004/summ0406.htm. Retrieved 2007-01-13. 
  23. ^ Steve Lang (May 7, 2009). "Hurricane Season 2009: Kujira (Western Pacific Ocean)". NASA. http://0-www.nasa.gov.iii-server.ualr.edu/mission_pages/hurricanes/archives/2009/h2009_kurija.html. Retrieved December 23, 2011. 
  24. ^ Narciso O. Itoralba (December 1981). Annual Tropical Cyclone Report 1977. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. p. 65. 
  25. ^ Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Typhoon Elaine. Retrieved on 2007-02-25.
  26. ^ "JTWC Annual tropical cyclone report: 2003". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 2004. http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/atcr/2003atcr/2003atcr.pdf. Retrieved 2010-01-22. 
  27. ^ 1989 Northwest Pacific and North Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclones. Retrieved on 2007-03-14.

External links