Typhoon, Hurricane, Cyclone: What's the
Difference?
hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are all the same weather phenomenon.
Scientists just call these storms different things depending on where they occur.
In the Atlantic and northern Pacific, the storms are called "hurricanes," after the
Caribbean god of evil, named Hurrican.
In the northwestern Pacific, the same powerful storms are called "typhoons." In
the northern Indian Ocean, they're called "severe cyclonic storms." In the
southwestern Indian Ocean, they're just "tropical cyclones."
To be classified as a hurricane, typhoon, or cyclone, a storm must reach wind
speeds of at least 74 miles per hour (119 kilometers per hour).
If a hurricane's winds reach speeds of 111 miles per hour (179 kilometers per
hour), it is upgraded to an "intense hurricane."
If a typhoon hits 150 miles per hour (241 kilometers per hour)—as Usagi did—
then it becomes a "supertyphoon."
What Are Typhoons?
A typhoon is an intense, violent tropical cyclone with constant wind speeds of
118 kph (74mph) or more. They start out as tropical depressions, but when the
wind speeds reach 118kph (km per hour), they are upgraded to typhoon status.
Where Do Typhoons Form?
Typhoons form over warm tropical oceans, which means they usually form in
late summer and early autumn. They develop where the sea is warmest,
between 5° to 30°N and S of the equator (between the tropics of Cancer and
Capricorn).
How do Typhoons Form?
(Animations)
There are several conditions that should be present but if they are present it is
not necessarily going to e a typhoon. These are:
.Sufficiently warm sea surface temperatures
.Atmospheric instability
.High humidity
.Low pressure center
.A pre-existing low level focus or disturbance
.Low vertical wind shear
The Effects of Typhoons:
1. Buildings and Infrastructure
The two most destructive forces associated with typhoons are wind and
rain. Typhoon winds can affect buildings and other structures in two
ways: through direct force and through projectiles. Direct force is when a
wind gust slams directly into a building and causes physical damage, like
when wind blows the roof off a home. Wind can also cause damage by
picking up and launching remains and other items, such as tree branches
and building materials, into buildings and other structures ve devastating
effects.
2. Trees and Other Vegetation
Typhoons can also affect the natural environment, and cause harm
(physical damage) to trees and other vegetation, including crops that
communities may rely on for sustenance (alimento) or trade(comercio),
or both. Strong winds can snap branches; detach (disconnect) and injure
leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds; and uproot (arrancar) trees and plants.
Flooding can produce over-saturation and drown out vegetation.
Typhoons also deposit large quantities of salt onto plant life, which can
have adverse effects.
3. Watercraft and Water Operations
Typhoons are also well-known for stirring up the seas. Individuals on
watercraft or those performing water operations (such as on oil rigs) not
only have to contend with heavy winds and rain, but they have to deal
with massive waves and, in general, turbulent water conditions. Today,
fishing boats, cruise ships and other vessels rely on sophisticated
technology to help them predict and avoid the devastating effects of
typhoons.
4. Life
Both human and animal life can be impacted, and ultimately taken, by
the destructive forces of typhoons. While this can occur directly, such as
if an individual is caught in a building collapse, perhaps the more silent
killer is the lack of available resources and infrastructure that results.
Typhoons can also spred diceases. When communities are cut off by
typhoons, individuals may not be able to get the medical attention they
so desperately need, and starvation becomes a big risk as well.
What can you do to reduce the damage from
typhoons?
1. Build emergency storm shelters that are strong, reinforced buildings
elevated above the expected flood levels
2. Build seawalls to protect shorefront property from storm surges and large
waves
3. Build up beaches and coastal embankments to protect against storm
surges. Sand fences are a cheap way to trap sand to make a beach
grow. Ultimately the larger beach will block more of the waves and storm
surge.
4. Make an emergency evacuation plan and put an early warning system in
place
5. Educating the public on how to prepare for a typhoon.
Explain video
News 1
An approaching category-five storm with winds of 205 kph (127 mph), hit the
Western Pacific. It was moving northwest at 19 kph between the Philippines and
Taiwan and headed for Hong Kong and south China.
News 2
Typhoon Wipha pummeled Tokyo; it brushed past Tokyo and moved up Japan's
Pacific coastline.
The storm was 40 km (24 miles) east of the city of Katsuura and moving northeast
at 65 kmh by 7:00 a.m. (7.00 p.m. EDT). It carried sustained winds at its center of
126 kph (78 mph) and gusts up to 180 kph (112 mph), some 800 mm of rain was
recorded in the 24 hours - more than twice the usual monthly rainfall.
News 3
Typhoon Ketsana left about 300 dead in the Philippines after it hit Manila last
weekend. Christian relief aid organizations are in full force, trying to help the
nearly 4 million Filippino people who have been affected.
The first typhoon caused massive. According to Jeff Wright, World Vision's
emergency response director for Asia, the typhoon "brought one month's rain to
Manila in less than seven hours. Five days after the storm, some villages remain
submerged in water and are difficult to access with relief supplies." And that was
before the second typhoon, Parma, struck this weekend.
The damage to infrastructure and agricultural losses is at about $100 million in
United States currency. And as more evacuees reach designated shelters, the
numbers of those affected continues to rise. To date, nearly 4 million people have
been affected.
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