Beautiful Yet Dangerous Atmospheric Phenomenon: How to Recognize It
Here’s everything you need to know.
What is a Typhoon
A typhoon is a tropical atmospheric vortex that originates in the ocean, bringing heavy rains with it. It is accompanied by extremely strong winds.
What Does a Typhoon Look Like
On land or water, a typhoon feels like a powerful storm with hurricane-force winds. The sky becomes overcast with dark clouds, and torrential rain begins. At sea, high waves can form. From a satellite, a typhoon is clearly visible – it appears as a huge spiral cloud vortex. The central part, known as the “eye of the typhoon,” is usually clear or slightly cloudy, surrounded by dense rings of clouds.
How a Typhoon Forms
The formation of a typhoon is a complex process that depends on several factors. For an atmospheric vortex to form over water, the following conditions are needed:
- Warm water (above 26.5°C)
- High humidity. The air above warm water becomes saturated with moisture, contributing to cloud formation and precipitation
- An atmospheric layer with relatively weak wind to allow air to rise upward and form clouds
- The Earth’s rotation, which creates inertial force known as the Coriolis force. This force can “twist” atmospheric phenomena
Initially, a small atmospheric disturbance appears over the ocean surface. Then, through convection, warm moist air rises upward, forming clouds and releasing heat. This air creates an area of low atmospheric pressure. The Coriolis force causes the air to rotate around this area, forming a mini-typhoon. If conditions are favorable, the typhoon begins to intensify: the wind accelerates, and the low-pressure area expands.
How Dangerous is a Typhoon: Consequences
Although typhoons originate in the ocean, they can cause enormous damage on land. Let’s recall some of the most destructive typhoons in history:
- Haiyan (Yolanda), Philippines, 2013. One of the most powerful typhoons in recorded history. Claimed 5,600 lives, destroyed millions of homes, and caused enormous economic damage.
- Nina, Vietnam, 1992. Resulted in over 11,000 deaths, becoming one of the deadliest natural disasters in Vietnam’s history.
- Tip, western Pacific Ocean, 1979. This typhoon had the lowest atmospheric pressure of all tropical cyclones. Caused destructive waves and floods.
- Bolaven, South Korea and Japan, 2012. Caused significant damage to agriculture and infrastructure in East Asian countries.
- Faith, Philippines and Vietnam, 1998. Led to dozens of deaths and caused major floods.
- Bhola, Pakistan, 1970. One of the most destructive natural disasters in modern history. Estimates suggest between 300,000 to 500,000 deaths, with over 4.7 million people affected.
Difference Between a Typhoon and a Hurricane
A hurricane is wind with speeds exceeding 120 km/h (33 m/s). If it reaches 180 km/h (50 m/s), the hurricane is considered very strong. At a certain point, the clouds may briefly disperse, but this is just the calm before the storm. It’s called the “eye of the storm.” You’ve probably seen this phenomenon, at least in Ivan Aivazovsky’s painting “The Ninth Wave.” After this brief respite, the powerful wind begins again and can rage for dozens of hours.
Essentially, a hurricane is the same as a typhoon, just in a different part of the world. Hurricanes are atmospheric vortices that originate in the Atlantic Ocean, while typhoons form in the Pacific. Each of these phenomena has its own list of names.
Difference Between a Typhoon and a Cyclone
In meteorology, both hurricanes and typhoons are called cyclones. A cyclone is a broader concept that refers to any atmospheric vortex movement with low pressure at its center. There are different types of cyclones: tropical, extratropical, barometric depressions, etc.
Where Typhoons Most Frequently Occur
Typhoons most frequently occur between the coast of East Asia, the equator, and the International Date Line – an imaginary line on opposite sides of which local time differs by a day. It runs from pole to pole. They can transform into hurricanes. As an example, we can recall Typhoon Haiyan, which in November 2013 began as a storm in Micronesia and reached the Philippines as a hurricane.
The peak typhoon season runs from May to November. One of the necessary conditions is high ocean water temperature: +26-30°C. Then warm air from the water meets cooled upper air masses, creating clouds. The precipitation that falls transfers heat into the atmosphere. When air masses of different temperatures collide, they create a low-pressure area that becomes the birthplace of the typhoon.
