Typhoon is a tropical storm that develops between 180ᵒ and 100ᵒ E in the Northern Hemisphere. It is a large and swirling storm faster than a cheetah or any other fastest animal on land. The region in which it develops is also known as the Northwestern Pacific Basin and is also the most active tropical cyclone basin.
For accuracy, the northern Pacific Ocean is divided into three different regions, including the eastern (North America to 140ᵒW), central (140ᵒW to 180ᵒ), and western (180ᵒW to 100ᵒE).
Typhoons form over warm ocean waters. Sometimes they hit land. When they reach the ground, they push the wall of ocean water ashore, known as water surge. Heavy storm and rain surge from a typhoon can cause flooding.
These typhoons cause significant damage worth billions. You cannot prevent the loss other than protecting yourself and your loved ones because it is a natural disaster. Once a typhoon forms, the weather forecasters predict its path and predict how strong it will get. This information helps them to prepare for the incoming storm.
A warning center known as the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for tropical forecasts located in Japan informs people about the incoming storm or a cyclone.
Major Typhoons in World’s History
Typhoon Ida (1945)
Typhoon Ida, also known as Makurazaki Tycoon in Japan, was a weak but deadly typhoon that hit Japan in 1945. This typhoon made landfall near Makurazaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on September 17. It was one of the strongest and powerful storms to hit Kyushu in terms of record, with a sea-level pressure of 916.1 hPa and a maximum wind gust of 62.7 meters per second recorded at a weather station in Makurazaki.
Typhoon Amy (1951)
Typhoon Amy was also a powerful and deadly typhoon that occurred in the central Philippines in December 1951. It impacted the archipelago during the 1951 eruption of Mount Hibok-Hibok. This typhoon made the volcano much worse, increasing the Philippines’ death rate. This storm formed from a low-pressure area near the Kwajalein Atoll on December 3, 1951.
Typhoon Ida (1958)
Typhoon Ida, also known as the Kanagawa Tycoon, was the sixth deadliest typhoon that struck Japan in 1958. It is one of the strongest tropical storms that was ever recorded in the history of the world. It was a category three typhoon formed on September 20, 1958, in the Western Pacific near Guam. It moved to the west and rapidly rose to 115 mph by the next day.
Typhoon Joan (1959)
Typhoon Joan was the strongest typhoon in 1959 in terms of size and intensity. It was more than 1,000 miles across. This typhoon struck Taiwan with winds of 185 mph, equal to the strong Category 5 typhoon. It also hit China, but Taiwan was more severely affected by the storm, with 11 deaths and $3 million worth of crop damage.
Typhoon Nancy (1961)
Typhoon Nancy is the first stronger tropical cyclone to be ranked based on the wind speeds for five decades. It had one of the strongest winds recorded by the systems in a tropical storm tied with Hurricane Patricia of 2015. This typhoon caused considerable damage, resulting in at least 202 deaths and nearly five thousand injuries in Japan.
Typhoon Violet (1961)
Typhoon violet was a super typhoon that struck Japan in October 1961. Within five days of forming, it transformed into a Category 5 equivalent super typhoon with a central pressure of 886 millibars and a wind pressure of 200 mph. It dissipated a few days after reaching its peak intensity. The fact that it weakened to a tropical storm at the time of its landfall in Japan kept damages and life lost to a minimum.
Typhoon Irma (1966)
Typhoon Irma, commonly known as Typhoon Klaring in the Philippines, took place in May 1966. It is one of the unique typhoons that remained at sea level even though it severely damaged some Islands in the West Pacific. It also had an exciting rapid deepening rate of four millibars per hour over the 24 hours from November 10 to November 11.
Typhoon June (1975)
This typhoon had a lower pressure point than any other cyclones globally. It is also known for being the first storm that exhibited triple eyewalls in recorded history. It was an infrequent occurrence in which two extra eyewalls form outside the eyewall, similar to the bullseye pattern. It didn’t do that much damage because it didn’t come close to the landfall.
Typhoon Tip (1979)
Typhoon Tip is the first most robust cyclone recorded in history in terms of central pressure. Its minimum pressure of 870 millibars made a world record on October 12, 1979, after a short time when it passed Guam and Japan. This typhoon is also one of the largest storms that were ever recorded. Its wind spread to 1,380 miles in diameter, which is nearly half the United States’ size.
Hurricane Andrew (1992)
Hurricane Andrew was the second most potent Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It is known as the most destructive hurricane ever to hit Florida in terms of structural damage. It was also one of the costliest typhoons financially until Hurricane Irma exceeded it 25 years later.
Hurricane Katrina (2005)
Hurricane Katrina took place in the US in 2005. It was one of the most destructive category 5 Atlantic hurricanes. This typhoon caused over 1,800 deaths and almost $125 billion worth of damage in August 2005 in New Orleans and its surrounding areas. It was one of the costliest damage that was recorded at that time.
Hurricane Rita (2005)
Hurricane Rita was an intense hurricane that took place in the Atlantic Ocean. It was the fourth most significant hurricane that was ever witnessed. This hurricane was formed near The Bahamas from a tropical wave on September 18, 2005. It was developed initially off the West Coast of Africa and moved towards the west, and after passing through the Florida Straits, Rita entered an environment of abnormally warm waters.
Hurricane Patricia (2015)
Like typhoon, Ida Hurricane Patricia also has made many records in history. It was one of the strongest storms in terms of the pressure that spins up the Northern Hemisphere. It was the most robust cyclone in terms of wind speed. This typhoon surpassed hurricane Ida’s record by its 100 millibar pressure decrease from 980 MB to 880 MB that took place for two days from October 22 to 23 of 2015.
How to Prepare For Typhoons
- The first and most important step is to analyze your surroundings.
- Figure out the elevation level of your property and whether the land is flood-prone or not. Doing this will help you in knowing how the typhoons will affect your property when they are forecast.
- You should identify levees and dams in your area and figure out whether they are a hazardous threat to you.
- Learn the evacuation routes of the community typhoon and how to find higher ground. Determine where you will go and how you will get there in case you need to evacuate.
- Make sure to secure your property.
- Cover all the windows of your home with permanent storm shutters or 5/8-inch marine plywood that is cut to fit and ready to install.
- Install extra clips or straps to fasten your roof the frame structure securely.
- Make sure that the trees or shrubs around your house are well-trimmed as it makes them more wind-resistant.
- Clear the loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
- Reinforce your garage doors because if wind enters the garage, it can cause massive and dangerous structural damage to the house.
- Make a plan to bring in all the outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans, and anything else that is not tied down.
- Figure out how and where to secure your boat if you have one.
- Install a generator for the power outages.
- If you are in a tall building, you should be prepared to take shelter on or below the 10th
- Build a safe room for yourself and your family that should last the storm.
Typhoons – A Natural Calamity
In light of the devastation caused by typhoons, it’s always good to be prepared for one, especially if you live in an area where such disasters are common to occur. The loss of life and other things is immeasurable, and one should never underestimate such a calamity and be prepared for it.