HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL

HAZARDS
 Learning Outcomes:

1. Distinguish and differentiate among different

hydrometeorological hazards
2. Recognize signs of impending hydrometeorological hazards
3. Apply appropriate measures/ intervention before, during and
after hydrometeorological hazards
4. Interpret different hydrometeorological hazard maps
5. Use available tools for monitoring hydrometeorological hazards
 HYDROMETEOROLOGY
Hydrometeorology is the scientific study of the
interactions between the atmosphere and the
Earth's hydrosphere, particularly in relation to
the processes of water in the atmosphere,
including precipitation, evaporation, and
transpiration.
 HYDROMETEOROLOGY
It integrates meteorological and hydrological
phenomena to understand the distribution,
movement, and availability of water resources,
focusing on how weather patterns influence
water cycles and vice versa.
National Disaster Management Plan of 2016
stated that HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL is a
process or phenomenon of atmospheric,
hydrological or oceanographic nature that may
cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts,
property damage, loss of livelihoods and services,
social and economic disruption, or environmental
damage.
Hydrometeorological hazards include:
• Tropical cyclones (Typhoons • Flood
and Hurricanes) • Storm Surge
• Thunderstorm • El Niño and La Niña
• Hailstorms • Drought
• Cold Spells • Heat Waves
• Heavy Snowfall • Avalanches
• Tornado • Blizzards
• Flashflood
 Hydrometeorological also can be a factor in
other hazards such as landslides, wild fires,
locust plagues, epidemics and in transport and
dispersal of toxic substances and volcanic
eruptions.
 Potential Hydrometeorological Hazards
The following are the most common hydrometeorological hazads as
defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA):

- Cyclone - Flashflood
- Typhoon - Flood
- Thunderstorm - Storm Surge
- Tornado - El Nino and La Nina
CYCLONE
 CYCLONE
• A powerful spinning storm that contains strong winds and
rain.
• A cyclone is an intense low pressure system which is
characterized by strong spiral winds towards the center,
called the “Eye” in a counter-clockwise flow in the northern
hemisphere. Hazards due to tropical cyclones are strong
winds with heavy rainfall that can cause widespread
flooding/flash floods, storm surges, landslides and
mudflows.
 CLASSIFICATION OF CYCLONE
• Tropical Depression - maximum winds
from 35 kilometers per hour (kph) to 63 kph
• Tropical Storm - maximum wind from 64
kph to 118 kph
• Typhoon - maximum which exceeding 118
kph
TYPHOON
 TYPHOON
• A typhoon is a large, powerful and violent
tropical cyclone. It is a low pressure area
rotating counter-clockwise and containing
rising warm air that forms over warm water
in the Western Pacific Ocean. Less powerful
tropical cyclones are called Tropical
Depression and Tropical storms.
 TYPHOON
• A typhoon is called “hurricane” in the Atlantic
Ocean, a cyclone in Indian Ocean and wily-wily in
Australia. Typhoons can inflict terrible damage
due to thunderstorms, violent winds, torrential
rain, floods, landslides, large and very big waves
associated with storm surges.
THUNDERSTORM
 THUNDERSTORM
• A thunderstorm is a storm with
thunder and lightning that often
also has heavy rain or hail.
 THUNDERSTORM
• A thunderstorm is a weather condition that
produces lightning and thunder, heavy
rainfall from cumulonimbus clouds and
possibly a tornado. It is a violent local
disturbance accompanied by lightning,
thunder and heavy rain and often by strong
gust of wind, and sometimes by hail.
 THUNDERSTORM
• The typical thunderstorm caused by convection
occurs when the sun’s warmth has heated a large
body of moist air near the ground. This air rises
and called by expansion. The cooling condenses
the water vapor present in the air, forming a
cumulus cloud.
THUNDERSTORM HAZARDS

Flooding Lightning Tornados

Lightning
Hail Induced Wildfires Wind
TORNADO
 TORNADO
• A tornado is described as a violent rotating
column of air extending from thunderstorm to
the ground.
• Tornadoes come in many sizes
• Are typically in the form of visible
condensation-funnel which is narrow and
touches the Earth.
 TORNADO
• Is often encircled by a cloud of debris
• Have a wide-range of colors depending on the
environment
• Typically, may appear nearly transparent and
invisible until dust and debris are picked up
 TORNADO
• Develop from severe thunderstorm in
warm, unstable air along and ahead of
cold fronts
 PARTS OF TORNADO

Cumulonimbus Cloud
Spiral Updraft

Funnel Cloud

Spiral Inflow Debris Cloud

 TORNADO SAFETY
In the event of a tornado you should
find cover getting down to the lowest
possible place, like a basement.
Additionally, you should try it get
under something sturdy and cover
your head until the tornado passes.
FLASH FLOOD
 FLASH FLOOD
• A flash flood is a rapid flooding of
geomorphic low-lying areas like
washes, rivers, dry lakes and
basins.
 FLASH FLOOD
Common causes of flash flood:
• Heavy rain with a severe thunderstorm
• tropical storm
• melt water from ice
• snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields
• hurricane
 FLASH FLOOD
• Flash floods may occur after the collapse
of a natural ice or debris dam, or a human
structure such as man-made dam
• Flash floods are distinguished from regular
floods by a timescale of less than six hours
FLOOD
 FLOOD
• Flood is the inundation of land areas which
are not normally covered by water. A flood
is usually caused by a temporary rise or the
over-flowing of a river, stream, other water
course, inundating adjacent lands or flood-
plains.
 OTHER FACTORS CAUSING FLOOD
• Temporary rise of lakes, oceans or reservoirs
and/or other enclosed bodies of water
• heavy and prolonged rainfall associated with
tropical cyclones, monsoons, inter-tropical
convergence zones or active low pressure
areas
 OTHER FACTORS CAUSING FLOOD
• Debris jam causes a rover or
stream to overflow and flood
the surrounding area.
Floods are basically,
HYDROLOGICAL
PHENOMENA caused by storm
surges, and tsunami along coastal
areas.
Two key elements are rainfall
intensity and duration. Intensity
is the rate of rainfall, and
duration is how long the rain
lasts.
STORM SURGES
 STORM SURGES
• Storm surge is a rise of the seawater
above normal sea level over the coast,
generated by the action of weather
elements such as cyclonic wind and
atmospheric pressure. Sea level is
raised and driven towards the coast.
 STORM SURGES
• Where the depth is hallow and the
slope of the sea bed id gradual, the
natural flow of water is delayed by
the effect of friction on the sea
level.
 STORM SURGES
As more water moves from the sea to the
coast excess water piles up on the shore
line. This pilling up of water makes a large
volume of water which might eventually
flow into hinterland some distance from
the coast.
 STORM SURGES
Depending upon the shape of the
coastline and the slope of the sea
bed, storm surge can sweep across
large portions of coastal areas.
EL NINO AND LA NINA
 EL NINO AND LA NINA
• El Nino and La Nina are complex weather
patterns resulting from variatio,n in ocean
temperature in the equatorial pacific.
These two phenomena are opposite
phases of what is known as the El-Nino-
Southern Oscillation(ENSO) cycle.
 EL NINO AND LA NINA
• The ENSO cycle is a scientific term that
describes the fluctuations in temperature
between the ocean and atmosphere in the
East-central Equatorial pacific
(approximately between the international
date line and 120 degrees west).
 EL NINO AND LA NINA
• La Nina is sometimes referred to as the
cold phase of ENSO and El Nino as the
warm phase. These deviations from
normal surface temperatures can have
large-scale impacts not only on ocean
processes, but also on global weather and
climate.
 EL NINO AND LA NINA
• El Nino and El Nina episodes typically last
nine to 12 months, but some prolonged events
may last years. While their frequency can be
quiet irregular, El Nino and La Nina events
occur on average every two to seven years .
Typically, El Nino occurs more frequently than
La Nina.
SIGNS OF AN IMPENDING TYPHOON OR
HURRICANE
 SIGNS OF AN IMPENDING TYPHOON OR HURRICANE

• The General sequence of events that

could occur during the development of
a category 2 typhoon/hurricane (wind
speed 96-110 mph) approaching a
costal are (Herald Tribune, 2011)
96 hours before landfall:
• At first there aren’t any apparent
sign of storms. The barometry is
steady, winds are light and variable,
and fair-weather cumulus cloud
appear.
7 2 hours before landfall:
• Little has changed, except that the swelling
on the ocean surface has increased to about
six feet and the waves comes in every nine
second. This means that the storm, far over
the horizon, is approaching.
48 hours before landfall:
• The sky is now clear of clouds, the
barometer is steady and the wind is
almost calm. The swell is now about
nine feet and coming in every eight
seconds.
36 hours before landfall:
• The first sign of storm appear. The
Barometer is falling slightly, the wind is
around 11 mph, the ocean swell 13 feet
and coming seven seconds apart.
36 hours before landfall:
• On the horizon, a large mass of white cirrus
cloud appear. As veil of clouds approaches,
it covers more of the horizon. A hurricane
watch is issued, and areas with long
evacuation times are given the order to
begin.
30 hours before landfall:
• The sky is covered by a high overcast. The
barometer is falling at .1 millibar per hour; winds
pick up to about 23 mph. The ocean swell,
coming in 5 seconds apart, is beginning to be
obscured by wind-driven waves and small
whitecaps begin to appear on the ocean surface.
24 hours before landfall:
• Small low clouds appear overhead. The
barometer is falling by .2 millibar per hour,
the wind picks up to 34 mph. The wind
driven waves are covered with whitecaps,
and streaks of foam begin to ride over the
surface.
24 hours before landfall:
• Evacuations should be completed and
final preparations made by this time. A
hurricane warning is issued, and people
living in low lying areas and in mobile
homes are ordered to evacuate.
1 8 hours before landfall:
• The low clouds are thicker and bring
driving rain squalls with gusty wind. The
barometer is steadily at a half millibar
per hour and the winds are whistling by
at 46 mph. It is hard to stand against the
wind.
1 2 hours before landfall:
• The squalls are more frequent and thw
winds don’t diminish after they depart. The
cloud ceiling is getting lower and the
barometer is falling 1 millibar per hour. The
wind is howling at hurricane force at 74
mph.
1 2 hours before landfall:
• The sea advances with every storm
wave that crashes ashore, and foam
patches.
6 hours before landfall:
• The rain is constant and the 92 mph wind drives
it horizontally, The barometer is falling 1.5
millibar per hour and the storm surge has
advanced above the high tide mark. The sea
surface a whitish mass of spray. It is impossible to
stand upright outside without bracing yourself.
1 hours before landfall:
• The rain becomes heavier. Low areas island
become flooded. The winds are at 104 mph,
and the barometer is falling at 2 millibar per
hour. The sea is white with foam and streaks.
The storm surge has covered coastal roads
and 16 foot waves crash into buildings near
the shore.
 Landfall - The Eye of the storm
Just as the storm reaches its peak, the winds
begin to slacken, and the sky starts to brighten.
The rain ends abruptly, and the clouds break
and blue sky is seen. The barometer continues
falling at 3 millibar per hour and the storm
surge reaches the furthest inland.
 Landfall - The Eye of the storm
The winds fall to near calm, but the air is
uncomfortably warm and humid. Huge
walls of cloud appear on every side,
brilliant white in the sunlight. At this point,
the barometer stops falling and in a
moment begins to rise, soon as fast as it
fell.
 Landfall - The Eye of the storm
The winds begin to pick up slightly
and the clouds on the far side of
the eye wall loom overhead.
TOOLS IN TRACKING THE STORM
SATELLITE
 SATELLITE
• is the most advance technology
used in monitoring a cyclone or
typhoon. It can visualize exactly in
real time the formation and the
path of a cyclone.
DOPPLER RADAR
 DOPPLER RADAR
• is an acronym for Radio Detection and
Ranging. Radar detection devices emit and
receive radio waves to determine the
distance from the source to the object by
measuring the time if it takes for the echo
of the wave to return.
 DOPPLER RADAR
• Specifically, weather radar measures the
direction and the speed of moving objects,
such as precipitation, and has a capacity to
measure the velocity of the particles in order
to determine the rate of which the particles
are falling.
HOW DOES A DOPPLER
RADAR WORK?
 DOPPLER RADAR
Doppler radar bounces sound waves off the
storm clouds.
Doppler radar can tell if raindrops are moving
toward or away from observers, and it can spot
spinning movements in clouds. This helps
scientists predict which way storms will travel.
 DOPPLER RADAR
PICTURE
PREPAREDNESS AND
MITIGATION
The following preparedness and mitigation
strategies are adopted from the Department
of Education's Disaster Risk Reduction
Resource Manual issued on 2008:
A. TYPHOON
Preparedness (What to do before):
• Establish and maintain coordination
with Barangay Disaster coordinating
councils (BDCC) and personnel.
• Ensure the house can withstand
heavy rain and strong winds.
• Learn more about typhoon and
other weather disturbances,
their signs and warnings, effects
and dangers and how to protect
house and other properties.
• Learn something relevant to
mitigation and preparedness for
tropical cyclones.
• Participate actively in the
school’s disaster response - drill
or simulation.
A. TYPHOON
Response (What to do during):
• Monitor through radio or other reliable
sources the latest report of PAGASA on
the typhoon.
• When house is no longer safe, evacuate
immediately to safer place.
• Stay indoors and away from
windows.
• Keep an open line of
communication with relatives
that are not affected to keep
them posted.
• Ensure that members of the
family will remain calm by
keeping them informed of the
latest developments.
A. TYPHOON
Rehabilitation (What to do after):
• Help in attending the victims
immediately. For minor cuts and wounds
apply first aid.
• In case of major cuts and wounds, seek
necessary medical assistance at disaster
station or hospital.
• Help in checking the house for
damages and losses. Note
damages that require immediate
repair, e.g., electrical
connections and water supply.
• Coordinate with Barangay
officials and LGU’s for assistance.
B. THUNDERSTORM
Preparedness (What to do before):
Develop a Family Preparedness Plan
In case of severe thunderstorm - specific
planning should include the following:
• Learn about your area’s severe
thunderstorm risk.
• Discuss how you would know if
a thunderstorm may produce a
tornado.
• Discuss how to be warned of an
approaching thunderstorm.
• Recommend trimming and removal of
dead or rotting trees that could fall and
may cause damage or injury
• Secure outdoor objects that
could be blown away and cause
damage.
• Secure house doors and
windows both from the inside
and outside.
• Learn how to estimate the distance
of the thunderclouds by computing
the difference in time (second)
between seeing the flash of
lightning and earing the claps of
thunder. (1 second = 1000 ft.).
B. THUNDERSTORM
Response (What to do during):
• Learn to do the lightning safety position and
stay away from structures, trees, towers,
fences, telephone lines, or power lines if out
in the open.
• Carefully watch out for falling debris and
flash floods.
• Stay calm throughout the occurence of
thunderstorm.
• Postpone all outdoor activities.
• Avoid plumbing and bathroom
fixtures that are good conductors of
electricity.
• Unplug or turn off all appliances
and other electrical items such as
computers.
• Turn off air conditioner and
television and stay off the phone
until the storm is over. Use a
battery operated radio for
gaining information.
• Choose and move to a ‘safe place’ in
your house (if there is any) where
members of the family can gather
together during a thunderstorm
preferably on lowest floor of your
house.
This should be a place where there is
no windows, skylights, or glass doors,
which could be broken by strong winds
or hail, causing damage or injury.
“Lightning safety experts have
invented a ‘light safety position’
that is very important to know if
you are caught in a thunderstorm
and you can’t find a shelter. There
are several reasons for doing it: It
makes you a smaller target.
With your heels together, if
lightning hits the ground, it
goes through the closest foot,
up to your heel and then
transfers to the other foot and
goes back to the around again.
If you don't put your feet
together, lightning could go
through your heart and kill
you. You put your hands over
your ears to protect them from
thunder."
(Lightning Safety Experts)
C. TORNADO
Preparedness (What to do before):
• Develop a preparedness plan for the
whole family.
• Have periodic drills with the
members of the family.
• Inspect pre-designated areas to
ensure the best protection.
• Keep an open line
communication with other
members of the family.
• Listen to radio and television for
information.
• Store flashlights and back-up
batteries to receive warnings
reponse.
C. TORNADO
Response (What to do during):
• Move to pre-designated area or an
interior room on the lowest floor and
get under a sturdy piece of furniture.
• Stay away from windows.
C. TORNADO
Rehabilitation (What to do after):

• Attend to survivors immediately.

• Check the house for damages


and losses.
• Coordinate with proper
authorities for assistance.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Preparedness (What to do before):
• Find out the frequency of occurrence of
floods in locality, especially those that
affect your area.
• Know the flood warning system in your
locality. If none exists, recommend to
the appropriate authority for the
creation of one.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Preparedness (What to do before):
• Research from previous occurrences how fast the
water floods occur in your area and how it rises.
• If it has been raining hard for several hours, or
steadily raining several days, be alert to the
possibility of a flood. Floods happen as the
ground becomes saturated.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Preparedness (What to do before):
• Watch out for rapidly rising water and
help prepare the family for evacuation.
• Switch off the electricity and lock the
rooms after all have gone out.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Preparedness (What to do before):
• Have a handy survival kit. It should
contain battery operated transistor
radio, flashlight, emergency cooking
equipment, candies, matches, and first
aid kit.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Preparedness (What to do before):
• Use a radio or a portable, battery-
powered radio (or television) for
updated information. Local stations
provide the best advice for your
particular situation.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Response (What to do during):
• Stay calm and keep updated with
the status of the situation and safety
reminders on what to do and where
to go in case of evacuation.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Response (What to do during):
• Listen continuously to a radio, or
a portable, battery-powered
radio (or television) for updated
emergency information.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Response (What to do during):

• Do not attempt to cross flowing

streams unless assured that the
water is below knee high level.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Response (What to do during):

• Avoid areas prone to flash

flooding and be cautious of
water- covered roads, bridges,
creeks and stream banks and
recently flooded areas.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Response (What to do during):

• Do not go to swimming or
boating in swollen rivers.
• Watch out for snakes in
flooded areas.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Response (What to do during):

• Eat only well-cooked food and

drink only clean or preferably
boiled water and throw away
all food that has come into
contact with flood water.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Rehabilitation (What to do after):

• Report broken utility lines (electricity,

water, gas, etc.) immediately to
appropriate agencies/authorities.
• Ensure that electrical appliances are
checked by a competent electrician
before switching them on.
D. FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
Rehabilitation (What to do after):
• Avoid affected areas.
• Continue to listen to a radio or local
television stations and return home only
when authorities indicate it is safe to do
so.
• Stay away from any building that is still
flooded.
E. STORM SURGE
Preparedness (What to do before):
• Know the storm surge risk zones and
identify safer grounds for relocation if
necessary.
• Ensure that everyone is familiar with the
identified escape routes of the family to
higher grounds.
E. STORM SURGE
Preparedness (What to do before):
• Stay off the beach when weather
disturbance exists.
• Help establish evacuation plans and
procedures.
• Participate in the regular conduct of drills
and exercises.
E. STORM SURGE
Response (What to do during):
• Immediately move to higher grounds
upon detection of signs of a probable
storm surge or upon receiving a warning
that a storm surge is eminent.
• Be alert of and stay away from steep, high
coastal areas which are prone to
landslides.
E. STORM SURGE
Response (What to do during):
• Switch off power supply.
• Stay on the on the inland side away from the
potential flow of water.
• If caught in a storm surge, take hold of large
boulders or tree trunks which can provide
protection from the force of water or debris
carried by the flowing water.
E. STORM SURGE
Rehabilitation (What to do after):
• Do not eat fresh food that came in
contact with flood waters.
• Drinking water should be submitted to
proper authorities for testing.
• Check damage of the house to ensure
that there is no danger of collapse.
E. STORM SURGE
Rehabilitation (What to do after):
• Check house for electrical damage and
open live wires. Electrical fixtures should
only be switched on after making sure
that is safe to do SO.
• Help clean all mud and debris
immediately.
 DIFFERENT
HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
HAZARD MAPS
1. Map showing global distribution of flood risk areas
2. Map showing global distribution and seasons of tropical storm
3.. Map showing global distributionof drought risk areas
 4. Map showing
seismic, volcanic
and tropical storm
risk in the
Philippines
Tools for monitoring HydroMeteorological Hazards

PROJECT NOAH by the department of science and

technology (DOST)
• a project for scientific forecasting, monitoring,
assessment and information services regarding
natural hazards
 Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards)
• The project will harness technologies and
management services for disaster risk reduction
activities offered by the DOST through PAGASA,
PHIVOLCS, and the DOST-Advance Science and
Technology Institute (ASTI), in partnership with the
UP National Institute of Geological Sciences and the
UP College of Engineering.
 The project has the following components:

1. Distribution of hydrometeorological devices

in hard-hit areas in the Philippines (Hydromet).
A total of 600 automated rain gauges (ARG) and
400 water level monitoring stations (WLMS) will
be installed along the country's 18 major river
basins (RBs) by December 2013 to provide a
better picture of the country's surface water in
relation to flooding.
 The project has the following components:

2. Disaster Risk Exposure Assessment

for Mitigation - Light Detection and
Ranging (DREAM-LIDAR) Project. The
project, which is targeted to be completed by Dec.
2013, aims to produce more accurate flood
inundation and hazard maps in 3D for the
country's flood-prone and major river systems and
watersheds.
 The project has the following components:

3. Enhancing Geohazards Mapping

through LIDAR. The project which is
targeted to be completed by December
2014, shall use LIDAR technology and
computer-assisted analyses to identify
exact areas prone to landslides.
 The project has the following components:

4. Coastal Hazards and Storm Surge

Assessment and Mitigation (CHASSAM).
CHASSAM, which is targeted to be
completed by December 2014, will generate
wave surge, wave refraction, coastal
circulation models to understand and
recommend solutions for coastal erosions.
 The project has the following components:

5. Flood Information Network (floodNET)

Project. Targeted to be complete by December
2013 is the flood center that will provide timely
and accurate information for flood early warning
systems. The FloodNET Project will come up with
computer models for the critical RBs. automate
the process of data gathering, modelling and
information output, and release flood forecasts.
 The project has the following components:

6. Local Development of Doppler

Radar Systems (LaDDERS). LaDDERS
seek to develop local capacity to design,
fabricate, and parameters of sea surface
such as wave, windfield, and surface
current velocity.
 The project has the following components:

7. Landslides Sensors Development

Project. This project is a low cost, locally
developed, sensor based early
monitoring and warning system for
landslides, slope failures, and debris flow.
As of May 2012, 10 sensors have been
installed in:
 The project has the following components:

San Francisco, Surigao del Norte; Tago,

Surigao del Sur; Tublay, Buguias, and
Bokod in Benguet; Guihulngan City,
Negros Occidental; St. Bernard, Southern
Leyte; and Tubungan, Iloilo. Additional
sensors are expected to e deployed to
not less than 50 sites by 2013.
 The project has the following components:

8. Weather hazard Information Project (WHIP).

WHIP involves the utilization of platforms such as
television (DOSTv) and a web portal
(http://noah.dost.gov.ph), which display real-time
satellite, Doppler radar, ARG and WLMS data to
empower LGUs and communities to prepare
against extreme natural hazards. This is
complimented by activities, such as:
 The project has the following components:

a) conducting IEC (Information, Education,

and Communication) activities;

b) the processing and packaging of relevant

and up-to-date information for public use.