Typhoons-Green

Green Class
 * Typhoons ** Amy H. & Ian M.

Introduction A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that occurs in the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline (Southeast Asia) (2,3). A tropical cyclone is considered a typhoon after it reaches wind speeds of at least 74 mph. Tropical cyclones refer to a non-frontal synoptic scale low-pressure system over tropical or sub-tropical waters with organized convection, and definite cyclonic surface wind circulation. (3) These typhoons are usually accompanied by heavy rainfall and damaging high tides. In Southeast Asian countries such as Japan, the typhoon season generally runs from the months of May through October, with the most activity occurring during the July to September. (2) These storms that are larger than tornadoes but smaller than mid-latitude cyclones typically have winds that spin counterclockwise. (7)

Dangers There are many dangers associated with typhoons. One of those dangers is being trapped inside a building with no power. This is dangerous due to the use of a generator, which releases Carbon Monoxide, a tasteless, invisible gas which could kill a family in minutes. (9) In addition to this, flooding can damage electrical wires, which can give shocks as well as cause fires. (9) Flooding can also lead to the spread of disease for it can be contaminated by flooding landfills, sewage, and dumps. (9) After typhoons hit land and move further inland, they can dump many inches of rain and cause lots of wind damage before they die out completely. (7) When wind speeds of the storm exceed 155 mph, they are considered catastrophic and can cause much damage. (7)

This devastating typhoon took the lives of 160 people through flooding and landslides. ||
 * [[image:severeweatherwiki/typhoons1green.jpg align="center"]] ||
 * The aftermath of Typhoon Fengshen in the Philippines.

Conditions of Formation In order for a typhoon or any type of cyclone to form and develop, it undergoes a process called Cyclogenesis, where the cyclone forms, matures, occludes, and disappears completely. Ideal conditions for cyclogenesis formation are (8): For more reading on Cyclogenesis, check out the section on Cyclogenesis on this page!
 * Ocean water temperature at least 26.5 degrees warm with a depth of at least 50 m. This is because warm waters fuel the heat engine of the storm.
 * Minimum distance of at least 500 km (300 miles) from equator so that the Coriolis effect can balance with the wind gradient



All cyclones need low pressure in order to form. A typhoon will form over the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean, located near Southeast Asia. Warm, moist air over the ocean will rise upward from near the surface, and as a result of it moving up and away from the surface, there will be less air left there. In other words, warm air rises, causing an area of lower pressure air below. (7) Higher pressure air from surrounding areas push into the low pressure area, but that new air becomes warm and moist, so it rises also. As that warm air continues to rise, surrounding air also swirls in to take its place, and moist air rises and cools off, so water in the air forms clouds. The clouds and winds that are formed spin and grow, fueled by the ocean heat and water evaporating from the surface. (7) After the storm rotates faster and faster, an eye forms, and higher pressure air from above flows down into the eye. (7)





Historical Examples Typhoon Nesat, even without exceptionally high wind speeds or really low pressure, to killed 59 people and cost the Philippine Islands 183 million dollars in damage. This is due to the location in which the storm struck, hitting major Philippine cities, such as Calumpit on the island of Bulacan. Such typhoons, formed over the warm southwest pacific, can carry huge amounts of water which can breach dams and cause serious damage, like flooding. (6) For news coverage on this recent Typhoon, click here.

Many other strong typhoons have also formed off the coast of Asia, such as:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Typhoon Tip, which occurred on October 12th, 1979, and reached 870 mb of pressure (4) (This example is also noted in our Prentice Hall Earth Science Textbook on pg. 534)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Typhoon Nancy, which occurred on September 12th, 1961, and had 213 mph winds (4)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">And more recently, Typhoon Talas, which, after striking western Japan, left 38 people dead and 54 people missing (5)

<span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 24px;">Safety <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Some precautions one should take in preparation, during, or after a typhoon strike are to:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Prepare flashlights with batteries and have access to other supplies, such as water and food (1)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Check/Update all emergency and family phone numbers (1)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Secure or move inside all outdoor items (2)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Remove objects that are around windows (2)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Set freezer to coldest setting to minimize spoilage (in case power goes out) (2)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Watch for leaks, and have a towel and bucket ready (2)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Move into a hallway or other places far from windows, such as closets, bathrooms, etc. (2)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Draw curtains and shutters to prevent window glass from blowing into the house if the glass shatters (2)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">If a window breaks, put a mattress against the window and secure it with a heavy piece of furniture (2)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Open a window 3-4 inches on the side of the house not directly facing the wind direction to relieve the higher pressure inside the house (2)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">After the storm is over, check for broken glass, fallen trees or power lines (2)

<span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 24px;">Sources <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">(1) Landsea, Chris. "TCFAQ K1) What Steps Should I Take When a Hurricane Watch/warning Is Posted?" //Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory//. NOAA, 21 Apr. 2010. Web. 10 Jan. 2012. <http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/K1.html>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">(2) "Resources-Embassy of the United States Tokyo, Japan." //Embassy of the United States Tokyo, Japan//. US Department of State. Web. 10 Jan. 2012. <http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-typhoon.html>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">(3) Landsea, Chris. "TCFAQ A1) What Is a Hurricane, Typhoon, or Tropical Cyclone?" //Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory//. NOAA, 15 July <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">2011. Web. 10 Jan. 2012. <http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/A1.html>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">(4) Landsea, Chris. "TCFAQ E1) Which Is the Most Intense Tropical Cyclone on Record?" //Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory//. NOAA, 21 Apr. 2010. Web. 10 Jan. 2012. <http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/E1.html>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">(5) Ogura, Junko, and Yoko Wakatsuki. "Tropical Storm Talas Leaves 38 Dead, 54 Missing in Japan." //CNN.com//. Cable News Network, 05 Sept. 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2012. <http://articles.cnn.com/2011-09-05/world/japan.storm_1_meteorological-agency-wakayama-prefecture-joint-typhoon-warning-center?_s=PM:WORLD>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">(6) Cueva, Winona. "Death Toll from Dual Philippine Typhoons Now 59 - CNN." //CNN.com//. Cable News Network, 03 Oct. 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2012. <http://articles.cnn.com/2011-10-03/asia/world_asia_philippines-typhoon_1_death-toll-cagayan-landslides?_s=PM:ASIA>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">(7) "How Do Hurricanes Form?" //NASA's The Space Place//. NASA, 5 May 2011. Web. 16 Jan. 2012. <http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/hurricanes/>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">(8) Landsea, Chris. "How Do Tropical Cyclones Form ?" //Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory//. NOAA. Web. 18 Jan. 2012. <http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/A15.html>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">(9) Office of Information and Public Affairs. "CPSC Warns of Dangers at Home in the Aftermath of Tropical Storm Fay." //CPSC Home Page//. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 22 Aug. 2008. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. <http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08370.html>.