Module 8

HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
HAZARDS
 HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
HAZARDS
• It includes tropical cyclones (also known as
typhoon and hurricanes), thunderstorms,
hailstorms, tornados, blizzards, heavy snowfall,
avalanches, coastal storm surges, floods
including flash floods, drought, heat waves
and cold spells. Hydrometeorological
conditions also can be a factor in other
hazards such as landslides, wildland fires,
locust plagues, epidemics, and in the
transport and dispersal of toxic substances
and volcanic eruption materials.
 Potential Hydrometeorological
Hazards
Typhoon
• Tropical cyclones in the Philippines are called
“bagyo”
• Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR)
• Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
• Around 19 tropical cyclones or storms enter the
PAR in a typical year and of these usually 6 to 9
make landfall.
typhoon mike (ruping) near pick satelite image of typhoon yolanda in 2013
intensity in november 1990
• Public Storm Warning Signals
Signal # 1 Winds of 30-61 km/h (20-38 mph) are expected to occur within
36 hours

Signal # 2 Winds of 61-120 km/h (38-73 mph) are expected to occur within
24 hours
Signal # 3 Winds of 121-170 km/h (74-105 mph) ) are expected to occur
within 18 hours
Signal # 4 Winds of 171-220 km/h (106-137 mph) are expected to occur
within 24 hours

Signal # 5 Winds of at least 220 km/h (137 mph) are expected to occur
within 24 hours
• Classes for preschool are cancelled
when signal no. 1
• Elementary and High school classes
and below are cancelled under signal
no. 2
• Classes for colleges and Universities
and below are cancelled under signal
no. 3 and no. 4
Thunderstorm
• A storm with lightning and thunder
• Produced by cumulonimbus cloud,
usually producing gusty winds, heavy
rain and sometimes hail.
• This can form fronts, sea breezes or
mountains.
Lightning
• It is the occurrence of a
natural electrical discharge
of very short duration and
high within a cloud and
the ground or within the
cloud, accompanied by a
bright flash and typically
also with thunder.
What shall we do during thunderstorm and
lightning?
• Keep an eye for darkness skies, flashes of
lightning and increasing winds.
• Lightning follows rain. When you hear the
sound of thunder, go to safe place before
rains start to fall.
• Choose a sturdy building or vehicle with
closed windows. Avoid sheds, picnics areas,
baseball dugouts and bleachers. Stay away
also from trees.
• Crouch down in an open area, twice as far
away from a tree in relation to its height.
• Put the feet together and hands over the ears
to minimize hearing damage from thunder.
• Keep away from water because water is a
good conductor of electricity.
• Do not use electric equipment and
appliances during a storm.
• Stay away from windows, doors and porches.
• If someone is stuck by lightning, call for help
immediately. The injured person must not carry
electric charge so it is alright to touch him/
her.
Flash flood
• A flash flood is a rapid
flooding of geomorphic
low-lying areas: washes,
rivers, dry lakes and basins.
It may be caused by heavy
rain associated with a severe thunderstorm,
hurricane, tropical storm, or melt water,
from ice or snow flowing over ice
sheets or snowfields.
• Flash flooding is caused by narrow and steep
rivers, so they flow more quickly.
Flash flood and Flood Distinctions
• A flash flood is an
event that occurs
within 6 hours following
the end of the causative
event (such as rains,
ice jams, or dam breaks) resulting to
facilities, injuries and/ or significant
damage to property.
STORMSURGE
• An abnormal rise of
ocean generated by
a weather disturbance
such as tropical cyclone,
over and above the predicted high tide
mark. (CP david; gmanetwork.com,2013)
WHAT COULD SLOW DOWN STORMSURGE?
The following suggest possible reduction of storm
surge:
• Construction of barriers such as man-made
seawalls and breakwaters and natural mangroves
and wetlands could help block storm surges.
• A sufficiently wide and tall vegetation canopy
reduces inundation on land by 5 to 40 percent
,”depending upon the type of storm
• Coral reefs and rocky shores help dissipate the
wave energy as friction between the advancing
water and the ocean floor underneath can slow
down storm surge.
• Building a small “bump” on the ocean ward
terminus of the shore perpendicular roads
could at least slow down the storm-surge ebb
velocity.

2 MAIN METEOROLOGICAL FACTORS

CONTRIBUTING TO A STORM SURGE
• A long fetch of winds spiralling inwar toward
the storm
• A low pressure induced dome of water drawn
up under and trailing the storm’s center
EL NIñO AND LA NIñA PHENOMENA
• El niño and la niña
phenomena are
extreme phases of a
naturally occuring
climate cycles reffered
to as el niño/southern
oscillation. Both terms refer to large-scale
changes in sea surface temperature across
the eastern tropical pacific.