SCIENCE 8

TYPHOON
 Formation of Typhoon
LC: EXPLAIN HOW TYPHOON DEVELOPS AND
HOW IT IS AFFECTED BY LANDMASSES AND
B O D I E S O F WAT E R ( S 8 E S - I I D - 1 8 )
Give five words/phrases that can describe a typhoon. Present your
answers in a concept map as shown below.

devastating destructive

Typhoon
super whirlwind

heavy rain
 What is a typhoon?

∙ “Typhoon” is probably borrowed from the Cantonese word “tai

fung”, meaning “great wind” which are the names given to
violent cyclonic storms in China Sea.
∙ A typhoon is cyclonic when it originates over warm seas. It has
a circular or spiral system of violent winds, typically hundreds
of kilometers in diameter.
∙ 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.
In the Philippines, we use the term “bagyo” for all categories of
tropical cyclones.
∙ tropical cyclone, also called typhoon or hurricanean intense
circular storm that originates over warm tropical oceans and is
characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds, and
heavy rain.
∙ A typhoon is one of the intensely violent storm systems in
the Northwestern Pacific.
∙ A storm is an atmospheric disturbances with strong winds
accompanied by rain, snow, or other forms of precipitations,
and often by lightning and thunder.
∙ A tropical cyclone is the general term for a nonfrontal low
pressure system on tropical and subtropical waters with
definite cyclonic surface wind circulation and convection.
 Classifications of Tropical cyclones
Maximim Wind Speed
Category kph
Tropical depression 35 - 64
Tropical storm 65-118
Typhoon 119 - 200
Super typhoon Greater than 200
∙ If the tropical cyclone winds reach at least 17m/s, the condition is
called a tropical storm.
∙ Hurricane if it is over North Atlantic Ocean.(wind picks up at
33m/s and beyond.
∙ Typhoon Northeast Pacific Ocean and South Pacific Ocean.
∙ Severe Tropical cyclone or category 3 cyclone if it is over the
Southwest Pacific and Southeast Indian Ocean.
∙ Very severe cyclonic storm if it is over the North Indian Ocean.
∙ Tropical cyclone in the Southwest Indian Ocean.
 Parts of a Typhoon
∙ 1. Eye
∙ The eye of a typhoon is an area with the lowest air pressure and
its wind speed is also low. The eye or the center is helpful for
weather forecasters and meteorologists because it serves as the
reference point in plotting the typhoon’s location. The formation
of an eye is also used as an indicator of the increasing strength
of a tropical cyclone.
∙ The eye is the calmest part of a typhoon . In strong tropical
cyclones, this area is characterized by light winds and clear skies.
∙ 2. Eye Wall
∙ Surrounding the eye is the eye wall, where the severe weather
occurs.
∙ It is the innermost ring of convection near the center of the
typhoon, packing the fiercest rains and most intense winds.
∙ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
∙ this is the zone where surface winds reach their highest speed,
bringing the strongest thunderstorm activity.
∙ 3. Spiral Rain Bands.
∙ Spiral rain bands are found outside the eye wall. NOAA defines rain bands
as long bands of clouds and thunderstorms that spiral out of the eye wall.
Dense bursts of rain and winds are often associated with these bands. Also
referred to as “buntot ng bagyo”, rain bands form the outermost fringes of
the typhoon structure.
∙ PAR
∙ Philippine Area of Responsibility
∙ Refers to the designated area in the Northwestern
Pacific where PAGASA is tasked to monitor
tropical cyclone occurrences and make necessary
warnings.