LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• After going through this lesson, you are expected to:

1. identify the various climate-related hazards;
2. interpret different hydrometeorological hazard maps; and
3.explain the warning systems for hazards such as typhoon and
floods
4. use available tools for monitoring hydrometeorological hazards.
 HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL HAZARDS

• Hydrometeorological hazards are natural processes or phenomena that are of

atmospheric, hydrologic, or oceanographic. These hazards may cause the loss
of
lives, damage to property, social and economic disruption, or environmental
degradation.
• The geographic location of the Philippines accounts for the high
frequency of occurrence of these hazards. At times, these hazards concur in a
single event and varying intensities.
 COMMON
HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
HAZARDS
EXPERIENCED IN THE
PHILIPPINES
 TROPICAL CYCLONES
A tropical cyclone is an intense low pressure system with a minimum
wind velocity of 35 kilometers per hour (KPH).
PAR- Philippine Area of Responsibility
The tropical cyclone has an eye which is 10 to 100 kilometers in diameter.
Eye wall is where the precipitation is heaviest and the wind is strongest.
 TYPHOON
A typhoon is a violent tropical cyclone that forms over warm
waters, North of the equator in the Western Pacific Ocean. It
contains winds rotating counterclockwise, with a speed of 118-220
kilometers per hour. It could also develop into a super typhoon if the
wind speed exceeds 220 kilometers per hour. The impending signs
of a typhoon are felt when it is close to landfall.
LIST OF WORST STORMS RECORDED BY FATALITIES SINCE
1990 IN THE PHILIPPINES
STORM NAME YEAR DEATH TOLL

HAIYAN (YOLANDA) 2013 10,000 estimated

THELMA (URING) 1991 5,956

BOPHA (PABLO) 2012 1,901

WINNIE (IBIANG) 2004 1.619

WASHI (SENDONG) 2011 1,439

DURIAN (REMING) 2006 1.399

 IMPENDING SIGNS OF A TYPHOON
1. Increased ocean swell– A swell is a series of ocean waves brought about by
strong winds. An incoming typhoon would cause a swell of about a meter in
height that hit the shore every 10 seconds. As the typhoon approaches the
waves to come in much faster and may also increase in height.
2. Changes in clouds – Cumulus clouds may fill the sky about 36 hours before
a typhoon. As the storm approaches, the sky could be clear of clouds and may
later have a mass of cirrus clouds which appear as a veil covering the horizon,
eventually covering a large portion of the sky.
 IMPENDING SIGNS OF A TYPHOON
3. Barometric pressure drop – the atmospheric pressure may start to drop
about 36 hours before typhoon landfall. This will continue as the storm
approaches.
4. Abrupt changes in wind speed – wind speed increases due to the drop in
atmospheric pressure as air moves from an area with high pressure to low
pressure. The increase in wind speed also increases the height of the ocean
swell.
 THUNDERSTORM
A thunderstorm is a small-scale storm accompanied by lightning and
thunder.A typical thunderstorm only lasts about 30 minutes to an hour
and may cover an area as small as 5 kilometers in diameter.
However,they bring about other hazards such as strong winds and
heavy rainfall. In extreme cases, they may be accompanied by hail or
tornado.
 THREE STAGES OF THUNDERSTORM
1. Initial or cumulus stage- as the sun heats the earth’s surface, the ground
warms the air above it. The warm air rises and water vapor condenses to
cumulus clouds.
2. Mature stage- the clouds causes heavy precipitation, severe lightning,
strong gusty winds, hail and tornadoes at times. It is at this stage that
thunderstorm is strongest.
3. Dissipating stage- the precipitation decreases intensity and clouds begin to
dissipate.
 IMPENDING SIGNS OF A THUNDERSTORM
1. System of cumulonimbus clouds – unequal heating of the Earth’s surface
cause the upward movement of moist air, forming a tower of cumulonimbus
clouds that continuously accumulate in the sky, signaling an incoming
thunderstorm.
2. The sky turns dark – the cumulonimbus clouds filled with water droplets
serve as a barrier for sunlight. The sky darkens with a greyish tint or may also
have hues of green, yellow, or violet. As clouds start to have dark bases, they
may be in the process of becoming thunderstorm clouds.
 IMPENDING SIGNS OF A THUNDERSTORM

3. Lightning and thunder– flashes of lightning followed by thunder may be

observed. This may occur even before the rain falls. In some cases, thunder
that follows the lightning is inaudible which could mean that the
thunderstorm is approaching or forming from a distance. As the atmosphere
is becoming electrically charged, a radio static may also be experienced.
4. Gusts of wind and change in wind direction - Downbursts descend
even faster and maybe as strong as a tornado.
 HAILSTONES AND LIGHTNING
• Lightning, the most
dangerous hazard associated
• Hailstones are with thunderstorm. Is a
ice crystals visible electrical discharge
falling from a due to high voltage
thunderstorm. differences that build up
within the clouds, between
the clouds and the ground.
 STORM SURGE

Storm surge is a rapid rise of seawater above normal sea level on the
coast,
generated by strong winds brought about by typhoons and thunderstorms.
Unlike a tsunami that has visual signs such as receding
water level, a storm surge is a rather fast and unexpected hazard that can
sneak in anytime during a storm. It is advised that residents of low-lying
coastal areas should evacuate upon observing signs of an incoming storm.
 CAUSES OF STORM SURGE
1. Wind/pressure effect- the stronger the wind of the tropical cyclone and the lower the
atmospheric pressure, the higher the storm surge.
2. Rainfall effect- heavy rains associated with an intense tropical cyclone add to the total
sea level near the coast.
3. Tidal effect- if surge coincides with the occurrence of high tide, water level will be higher
than when it occurs during low tide condition.
4. Shape of the coastline and slope of the seabed- the shallower the slope, the higher the
surge to the coastal communities.
 FLOOD AND FLASHFLOOD
• The flood occurs when land areas which are normally not covered with water
are being submerged, often after heavy and continuous rainfall. In some cases,
heavy rainfall may cause temporary overflow from bodies of water, adjacent lands,
or floodplains causing the flood. Flooding may last for days and even weeks.
• Flashflood is a flood characterized by a raging current that occurs when the
water level rises due to heavy rainfall. Unlike flood, flashflood lasts from a few
minutes to a few hours only. It is common along rivers, mountain canyons,
coastline,creeks, and even urban areas.
 NATURAL AND MANMADE CAUSES OF FLOOD

• 1. Increased urbanization and coastal

• 1. Intense or development

prolonged rainfall • 2. Informal settlers

• 3. Deforestation
• 2. Storm surge • 4.Failure of levees and dams
• 5. Indiscriminate dumping of garbage
• 3. High tide
 TYPES OF FLOODS
• River flood- is caused by the overflowing of rivers when the run-off exceeds
the capacity of the channels.
• Coastal flood- occurs when strong onshore winds push the water inland. The
rise in the sea level also causes flooding of the low-lying coastal areas.
• Flash flood- is caused by a very short period of usually heavy rainfall.
 IMPENDING SIGNS OF A FLASHFLOOD
1.Weather forecasts typhoon or thunderstorm – they may bring intense and
prolonged rainfall.
2. Water collecting in puddles and rapidly rising water – this could mean that
the ground is saturated with water and flooding may follow. Water could be
stocked up in a distant area and a flash flood could occur anytime soon.
3. Muddy water – this may mean that calm water has been disturbed and the
dirt has mixed with the water.
4. Roaring sound from upstream – this may be from stones, branches, or logs
being carried in the water.
5. Floating debris in water – twigs, leaves, and sticks may be from bigger
branches and logs carried by the water.
PAGASA’S COLOR-CODED WARNING SIGNALS
FOR FLOODING
 TORNADO
• Tornado is a localized windstorm characterized by a visible funnel-
shaped, rapidly whirling cloud extending downward from the base
of a dark cumulonimbus cloud. It is also known as twister.
• Buhawi or ipo-ipo in Ph.
• Waterspout- when tornado occurs or moves over a body of water.
• Dopler radar- used to predict a tornado.
 THE EL NIÑO AND THE LA NIÑA PHENOMENA

• El Niño is associated with having no rain.

• Drought is the lack of rainfall for normal needs.
• La Niña is associated with heavy rainfall and
hazards such as flood.
 HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
HAZARD MAPS
A hydrometeorological hazard map is a guide that highlights areas
that are vulnerable to potential hazards like storm surge, typhoon,
and flood.
They are created to identify the areas that are prone to or affected
these hydrometeorological
hazards.
Hazard maps can also help prevent serious damage and deaths.
FLOOD AND LANDSLIDE HAZARD MAP OF
ALAMINOS WATERSHED
• Figure 2 shows that areas in the northern part
of Alaminos are highly
susceptible to flooding. The hazard map can
inform people about where they can
relocate before they can be affected by the
disaster. By knowing the possible threats
in their area, they can plan accordingly and
act to prevent any damage or devastating
effect of the disaster.
 TOOLS FOR MONITORING
HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL HAZARDS

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services

Administration (PAGASA), as the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services
(NMHS) of the Philippines is authorized in providing the warning for the publicsafety
of the people. They used various instruments to monitor environmental conditions.
You may be familiar with common weather instruments such as thermometer,
anemometer, barometer, rain gauge, and sling psychrometer. They are still used
today.
VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS USED TO
MONITOR ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS
 BAROGRAPH
• A barograph is a barometer that
records the barometric pressure
over time in graphical form. This
instrument is also used to make a
continuous recording of
atmospheric pressure.
THERMOGRAPH
• Thermograph – an
instrument that measures
and records air
temperature continuously.
 CEILING LIGHT PROJECTOR
• An instrument that
projects a light
beam to the clouds.
 CLINOMETER
An instrument that
determines the height of
the cloud base by
measuring the distance
of the cloud base
to the ground.
 CEILING BALLOON
• Ceiling balloon – a balloon
filled with hydrogen or other
gas lighter than air, which is
used to determine the height of
the cloud base. This is done by
measuring the time that the
balloon disappears into the
clouds from the time that it is
released.
THEODOLITE
• Theodolite – an instrument that
determines wind speed and
direction. It is attached to a
hydrogen-filled pilot balloon and
is allowed to float in the atmosphere
at different heights to
reach its different levels
 RADIOSONDE
• Radiosonde – an instrument
attached to a balloon and is
used to measure temperature,
pressure, and relative
humidity in the atmosphere. It
is equipped with a transmitter
that sends data to a
radiosonde receiver on the
ground.
 RAWINSONDE
• Rawinsonde is like
a radiosonde, but it
is also capable of
measuring wind
velocity
 WIND FINDING RADAR
• Wind finding radar – it measures
wind speed and direction
thru radar echoes. It works by
attaching a radar target to a
balloon that is sent to the
atmosphere. The time interval and
bearing of the radar echoes are
evaluated by a receiver ground
radar.
 WEATHER SURVEILLANCE
RADAR
• Weather Surveillance
Radar - it detects and
monitors the
track of typhoons and
cloud masses within
400 kilometers.
 DOPPLER RADAR
• Doppler Radar - calculates
the motion of precipitation,
estimates its type, and
determines the structure of
storms
and their potential to
cause severe weather.
 WEATHER SATELLITE
• Weather Satellite - provides
the synoptic view and
coverage
area of a weather
disturbance and the
capability to relay
weather data from remote
automatic weather stations.