TYPHOON, CYCLONE,

HURRICANE
By: Marloid T. Garcia, Desiree Narral,
Eisthine Nichole Oco
A Typhoon is a mature tropical
cyclone that develops in the
western part of the North
Pacific Ocean between 180°
and 100°E. This region is
referred to as the northwest
Pacific basin.
The term typhoon is used only in the northwestern
part of the Pacific Ocean. In the northeastern
part of the Pacific Ocean and in the northern
part of the Atlantic Ocean, the equivalent term is
hurricane. Thus, a hurricane on one side of the
Pacific Ocean will be called a typhoon if it
crosses into the other side.
In the Philippines, we use the same word for all
categories of tropical cyclones. We call it bagyo
whether it is a tropical depression, a tropical storm
or a typhoon.
The origin of the name "typhoon"
The origin of the name "typhoon"
The formation of typhoon
Typhoons start
off as tropical
thunderstorms.
The strong
winds pull in
moisture from
the oceans.
The formation of typhoon
The thunderstorms
convert the
moisture into heat.
The heat causes
more air to flow to
the centre of the
storm causing
evaporation.
The formation of typhoon
All the heat
and air flow
toward the
eye creating
the typhoon.
What conditions favor the formation of typhoons?
There are six requirements for the
formation of a typhoon: sufficiently warm
sea surface temperatures, atmospheric
instability, high humidity in the lower to
middle levels of the troposphere, enough
Coriolis force to develop a low pressure
center, a pre-existing low level focus or
disturbance low vertical wind shear.
The picture shows a supertyphoon as
viewed from up above the Earth. A
typhoon looks the same, only smaller.
See the clouds in a spiral arrangement?
They are being blown by winds in a
counter-clockwise direction. In a
supertyphoon, the wind speed is
greater than 200 kilometers per hour
(kph).
If the wind speed is less, from 119 to 200
kph, then it is called a typhoon. If the A supertyphoon as seen from
high above the Earth; at the
wind speed is between 65 and 118 kph, center is the “eye” of the
it is called a tropical storm. And when supertyphoon. Image by NASA
the wind speed is between 35 to 64 Earth Observatory

kph, it is a tropical depression.

Tropical depression, tropical storm, typhoon, and
supertyphoon are categories of tropical cyclones. In
simple terms, a tropical cyclone is a system of
thunderstorms that are moving around a center. As
the winds intensify or weaken, the category is
upgraded or downgraded accordingly.
Category Maximum Wind Speed
kilometers per hour (kph)

Tropical Depression 64
Tropical Storm 118
Typhoon 200
Super typhoon Greater than 200
The damage caused from a typhoon, on
the other hand, is many. These will be
discussed briefly as follows:
 Strong wind  Flood
 Foehn  Landslide
 Salty Wind  Debris flows
 Waves  Disease and
 Storm surge pests
 Torrential rain  Epidemic
diseases
Names of storms
Since the middle of the 20th Century, American forecasters have named
tropical storms after people, originally using only female names.
Philippine forecasters from the now-PAGASA started assigning Filipino
names to storms in 1963 following the American practice, using names of
people in alphabetical order, from A to Z.[9] Beginning in January 2000,
the World Meteorological Organization"s Typhoon Committee began
assigning names to storms nominated by the 14 Asian countries who are
members with each country getting 2 to 3 a year. These names, unlike
the American and Filipino traditions, are not names for people
exclusively but include flowers, animals, food, etc. and they are not in
alphabetical order by name but rather in alphabetical order by the
country that nominated the name. After January 2000, Filipino
forecasters continued their tradition of naming storms that enter the
Philippines Area of Responsibility and so there are often two names for
each storm, the PAGASA name and the so-called "international name".
 PUBLIC STORM WARNING SIGNALS (PSWS)
PSWS
What it means The following may happen What to do
#

A tropical cyclone will

affect the locality Twigs and branches of small trees are broken
Winds of 30-60 kph Some banana plants are tilted or downed
may be expected in Some houses of very light materials partially Watch out for big waves
1 at least 36 hours or unroofed Listen to severe weather bulletin
irregular rains may be Rice crops suffer significant damage in its issued by PAGASA
expected within 36 flowering stage
hours

Large number of nipa and cogon houses may

be partially or totally unroofed
Some old galvanized iron roof may be peeled
A tropical cyclone will
off Avoid riding in small seacraft
affect the locality
Winds may bring light to moderate damage to Those who travel by sea and air
Winds of greater than
2 exposed communities should avoid unnecessary risks
60 kph up to 100 kph
Some coconut trees may be tilted while few Postpone outdoor activities of
may be expected in
are broken children
at least 24 hours
Few big trees may be uprooted
Many banana plants may be downed
Rice and corn may be adversely affected
 Many coconut trees broken or destroyed
Almost all banana plants downed and a large
Avoid riding in any
A tropical cyclone number of trees uprooted
seacraft
will affect locality Rice and corn crops suffer heavy losses
Seek shelter in strong
Winds of greater Majority of all nipa and cogon houses uprooted or
buildings
3 than 100 kph to 185 destroyed; considerable damage to structures of
Evacuate from low-
kph may be light to medium construction
lying areas
expected in at Widespread disruption of electrical power and
Stay away from coasts
least 18 hours communication services
and river banks
Moderate to heavy damage experienced in
agricultural and industrial sectors
all travels and outdoor
Coconut plantation may suffer extensive damage activities should be
A very intense Many large trees maybe uprooted cancelled
typhoon will affect Rice and corn plantation may suffer severe losses Evacuation to safer
locality Most residential and institutional buildings of mixed shelters should have
4 very strong winds of construction maybe severely damaged been completed by
more than 185 kph Electrical power distribution and communication now
maybe expected services maybe severely disrupted The locality is very
in at least 12 hours Damage to affected communities can be very likely to be hit directly
heavy by the eye of the
typhoon.
Why is the Philippines prone to typhoons ?
The Philippines is prone to typhoons and other natural
disasters because it lies astride the typhoon belt, in the
active volcanic region known as the "Pacific Ring of
Fire," and in the geologically unstable region between
the Pacific and Eurasian tectonic plates. It is a country
surrounded by moist air, so the typhoon is able to feed
on that. The typhoon also needs cold air. Once these
are together, the air spins in circles. The typhoon is then
formed. All the things that a typhoon needs are
provided in and around the Philippines, resulting in
several typhoons a year.
A Cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid
motion rotating in the same direction as the
Earth. This is usually characterized by inward
spiraling winds that rotate anti-clockwise in the
Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the
Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. Most large-
scale cyclonic circulations are centered on
areas of low atmospheric pressure. Cyclones
are also referred to as hurricanes and typhoons.
They consist of the eye, eyewall and rainbands.
A hurricane is a type of tropical
cyclone or severe tropical storm that
forms in the southern Atlantic Ocean,
Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in
the eastern Pacific Ocean. A typical
cyclone is accompanied by
thunderstorms, and in the Northern
Hemisphere, a counterclockwise
circulation of winds near the earth’s
What is the
difference
between a
hurricane, a
cyclone, and
a typhoon?
Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are all the same weather
phenomenon; we just use different names for these storms in different
places. In the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, the term “hurricane” is
used. The same type of disturbance in the Northwest Pacific is called a
“typhoon” and “cyclones” occur in the South Pacific and Indian
Ocean.

The ingredients for these storms include a pre-existing weather

disturbance, warm tropical oceans, moisture, and relatively light winds.
If the right conditions persist long enough, they can combine to
produce the violent winds, incredible waves, torrential rains, and floods
we associate with this phenomenon.

In the Atlantic, hurricane season officially runs June 1 to November 30.

However, while 97 percent of tropical activity occurs during this time
period, there is nothing magical in these dates, and hurricanes have
occurred outside of these six months.