DRRR - Hydrometeorological Hazards

Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

The location of the Philippines in the Northern Hemisphere which is an area near the equator which makes it prone to geological and hydrometeorological hazards due to it being the area where trade wind meet.

Hydrometeorological

It is defined as dangers that are associated with the natural processes/phenomena involved in the transfer of water and energy between the land surface and the lower temperature.

Typhoons (Bagyo)

It is the intense circulating winds with heavy rain over tropical water, and land, which are actually a tropical cyclone that have reached more than 118 km.

Tropical Depression

A classification of tropical cyclone with a wind speed of up to 61kph.

Tropical Storm

A classification of tropical cyclone with a wind speed of 62 to 88kph.

Severe Tropical Storm

A classification of tropical cyclone with a wind speed of 89 to 117kph.

Typhoon

A classification of tropical cyclone with a wind speed of 118 to 220kph

Super Typhoon

A classification of tropical cyclone with a wind speed exceeding 220kph.

Landfall

It is when typhoons reach land and where it usually loses their energy.

Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)

It is the administration that monitors the behavior of these cyclones when it reaches the PH territory, as well as issuing public storm warning signals (psws)

Thunderstorm

It is defined as electrical storm, which is characterized by heavy rain with the presence of thunder and lighting. It is the the uneven distribution of heat in the air and on land, which its main factors are warm air and moisture.

Lightning

It is the company of thunder, which are cause by the separation of charged particles in the clouds.

Flood

It is the presence of excessive water on a supposedly dry land caused by continuous heavy rain or poor drainage systems which takes place on low-lying area.

Flash Flood

It is the rapid flow on saturated soil or dry soil or any foundation that has poor absorption capability, which takes place on slopes, such as mountains, volcanoes, and waterways.

Storm Surge

It is defined as a rise in sea level that occurs during tropical cyclones, which then produces strong winds that pushes water into shore causing flood. It is where water level rises where wind are strongest.

Coriolis Effect

It is a phenomenon where the rotation of earth causes winds to move towards the right in the northern hemisphere, and left of the southern hemisphere.

Northern Hemisphere in Storm Surge

It is when the cyclone develops in the northern hemisphere, where the surge will be the largest on the right-forward part of the storm

Southern Hemisphere in Storm Surge

It is when the cyclone develops in the southern hemisphere, where the surge will be the largest on the left-forward part of the cyclone.

Tornadoes

It is the violent rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground, which is often portrayed by a dark, greenish sky accompanied by a funnel which then hits the ground then roars with a sound, tearing everything in its path.

Supercell Tornadoes

One kind of tornadoes that are formed by thunderstorms.

El Niño

It is the temperature change in the global climate which means little boy or christ child in Spanish. It is the unusual warm water in the Pacific Ocean during the times of December, which are known as the colder season. It is discovered by a fisherman in the year 1600s.

La Niña/El Viejo/Anti-El Niño

It is the temperature change in the global climate which means little girl in Spanish. It is the periods of below-average sea surface temperature across the east-central Equatorial Pacific, which is the opposite of El Niño.

Doppler Radar

It is used to measure important weather parameters such as amount of rainfall and direction, speed, and intensity of winds.

Automated Rain Gauge

It is installed in telecommunication cells site to observe and locate areas with excessive amount of rainfall, it is used to detect possible flooding and flash floods.