Typhoon Haiyan

[Medic Mike]

'Yolanda' maintains course, intensity

 

 

Friday, November 8, 2013

MANILA (Updated) -- Typhoon Yolanda has maintained its course and intensity and continues to threaten Eastern Visayas, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported Thursday night

In its latest severe weather bulletin, Pagasa said Yolanda was located 290 kilometers (km) east southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar (10.3°N, 128.3°E) as of 10 p.m. Thursday.

Yolanda (international codename: Haiyan) is expected to move west northwest at 39 kilometers per hour (kph), with maximum sustained winds of 225 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 260 kph.

Pagasa said Yolanda, after hitting Eastern Samar, is expected to traverse the provinces of Biliran, the Northern tip of Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Romblon, Semirara Island, the Southern part of Mindoro then Busuanga and will exit the Philippine landmass (on Saturday early morning) towards the West Philippine Sea.

Satellite image of Typhoon Yolanda as of 12:09 a.m., November 08, 2013. (Source: Windows weather forecast)

 

Public storm warning signal number 4 was hoisted over:

*Masbate
*Northern Samar
*Eastern Samar
*Samar
*Leyte
*Southern Leyte
*Biliran Province
*Extreme Northern Cebu
*Bantayan Island
*Capiz
*Aklan
*Northern Antique
*Northern Iloilo

These areas will experience winds of more than 185 kph in at least 12 hours, said Pagasa.

Under Signal Number 3 (Winds of 101-185 kph in at least 18 hours):

*Ticao Island
*Sorsogon
*Romblon
*Calamian Group of Island
*Rest of Antique
*Rest of Iloilo
*Guimaras
*Northern Negros Occidental
*Northern Negros Oriental
*Bohol
*Northern Cebu
*Cebu City
*Camotes Island
*Siargao Island
*Dinagat Province

Under Signal Number 2 (Winds of 61-100 kph in at least 24 hours):

*Mindoro Provinces
*Marinduque
*Albay
*Extreme Northern Palawan
*Burias islands
*Rest of Negros Occidental
*Rest of Negros Oriental
*Siquijor
*Rest of Cebu
*Camiguin
*Surigao Del Norte
*Surigao Del Sur
*Agusan Del Norte

Under Signal Number 1 (Winds of 30-60 kph in at least 36 hours):

*Metro Manila
*Bataan
*Camarines Norte
*Camarines Sur
*Catanduanes
*Southern Quezon
*Laguna
*Rizal
*Cavite
*Batangas
*Lubang Island
*Rest of Northern Palawan
*Puerto Princesa

Residents in low lying and mountainous areas under storm warning signals are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas under signal are alerted against storm surges which may reach up to seven-meter wave height.

Earlier, President Benigno Aquino III addressed the nation and appealed for cooperation amid threats from the typhoon, considered to be the strongest to hit the Philippines this year. [Read full statement of Aquino on Typhoon Yolanda.] (Sunnex)

 

 

Edited November 7, 2013 by Medic Mike

[Medic Mike]

Relief ready for Yolanda-hit

 

AT LEAST P192.7 million worth of emergency relief resources is available to aid the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 in its relief operations in areas that will be hit by super typhoon Yolanda.

Gov. Hilario Davide III and city mayors in Metro Cebu have suspended work in the public and private offices today across the province to keep everyone safe in their homes when the typhoon passes through northern Cebu anytime today.

Families living in some coastal villages and areas prone to landslides and floods were evacuated yesterday, as the police deployed search and rescue teams to northern towns.

Officials of all barangays in other parts of the region that are prone to flashfloods and landslides were also urged to conduct preemptive evacuation.

Minda Morante, director of the Office of Civil Defense 7, advised families living in coastal areas, riverbanks, low-lying places and mountain slopes to leave their homes.

Storm signals

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Storm Signal 3 was raised in northern Cebu to Cebu City while the rest of the island was placed under Signal 2.

The areas under Signal 3 will have winds that move 101 to 185 kilometers per hour (kph) for at least 18 hours while those under Signal 2 will have winds that move 61 to 100 kph for at least 24 hours.

Jhomar Eclarino, weather specialist at Pagasa Mactan, Cebu station, said the typhoon will hit land early morning today in Guian, Eastern Samar and pass through the northern tip of Cebu this afternoon.

The typhoon will bring an estimated rainfall amount of 10 to 30 milliliters per hour within its 500 diameters.

“That’s heavy to intense rain,” Eclarino said.

That amount of rainfall, he said, can cause flashfloods in low-lying areas as well as landslides.

Strength

Acoording to the 4 p.m. Pagasa weather bulletin, Yolanda had strengthened as it moved toward the Visayas at 33 kph.

The typhoon was spotted 543 kilometers southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, with maximum sustained winds of 215 kph. It had gustiness of 250 kph.

Yolanda was forecast to move west northwest at 33 kph.

It was forecast to be 71 kilometers east of Roxas City by this afternoon and 605 kilometers west of Calapan, Mindoro by tomorrow afternoon.

The typhoon is expected to leave the Philippine territory by early morning on Sunday.

Eclarino said the typhoon will slightly weaken after landfall but it will strengthen again when it passes through the seas.

Relief aid

In a press statement released yesterday, DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman said that they set aside P34 million for emergency needs, as well as 84,703 family food packs amounting to P21.9 million and other food and non-food items worth P136.7 million for the regions within the path of the typhoon.

Soliman reminded all DSWD personnel and all Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices in areas along the path of the typhoon to undertake preparedness measures to cushion its impact.

She also directed all field offices to assist LGUs in evacuating families in hazardous areas.

The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 is on full alert to be able to respond to any incident during the typhoon.

Chief Supt. Danilo Constantino, director of PRO 7, said a contingent of search and rescue personnel from the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) 7 was deployed to the northern towns.

As of 10 p.m., PRO 7 said 38,468 individuals or 15,456 families have been evacuated in Central Visayas.

Police

Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, director of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), said the policemen will be deployed to coastal areas and low-lying barangays prone to floods and landslides.

The personnel will be detailed in northern Cebu, particularly in Bogo City, San Remigio, Medellin and Daanbantayan.

The Central Command is also prepared to send more forces.

On the part of the Department of Interior Local Government (DILG) 7, Regional Director Ananias Villacorta said they are closely coordinating with the chief executives of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

“We appreciate what the LGUs have been doing because disaster preparedness has been institutionalized,” he said.

Yesterday noon, Gov. Davide issued a memorandum allowing workers in the public and private sectors to go home early.

The mayors of the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Talisay issued similar memos, while Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza left it to owners of private companies to suspend work.

Cebu City Hall will have a skeletal force to man the command post.

Capitol will also maintain a skeletal force, particularly in the offices of the engineering department, social welfare and development, health, public information, administration and governor’s office.

Suspension

Ethel Natera, the public information officer of the Province, also urged school administrators to heed the governor’s order on the suspension of classes.

Some schools reportedly held classes yesterday.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Niel Sanchez said preemptive evacuation was done in the towns of Argao, Aloguinsan and some towns in the northern part of Cebu.

Sanchez said the residents were evacuated yesterday, even when the weather was still calm.

Sanchez said the weather reminded him of the time when typhoon Ruping hit Cebu.

“I don’t mean to sow fear among the public but its nature… the typhoon is gathering strength. Ruping was like this. Exactly like this,” Sanchez said.

Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said all the preparations that Capitol made are for the welfare of the Cebuanos.

“It doesn’t matter if some would say that we are overacting with our preparation. It is better than not being ready at all,” Magpale said.

Meanwhile, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has readied its hardware materials and supplies needed to repair damaged facilities and restore power after the typhoon.

[Medic Mike]

 

Latest Super Typhoon Location:

 

 

12:00 AM

08 November 2013 10.5°N, 127.6°E 210 km East Southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar

 

 

Time Coordinates Position 02:00 AM

08 November 2013 10.6°N, 126.9°E 135 km Southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar

[Medic Mike]

 

 

Latest Super Typhoon Location:

 

 

12:00 AM

08 November 2013 10.5°N, 127.6°E 210 km East Southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar

 

 

Time Coordinates Position 02:00 AM

08 November 2013 10.6°N, 126.9°E 135 km Southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar

 

Now 90km Southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar at 0300 hrs.

[Medic Mike]

SUPER TYPHOON HAIYAN (YOLANDA) UPDATE NUMBER 010
Issued at: 12:00 AM PhT (16:00 GMT) Friday 08 November 2013
Next Update: 6:00 PM PhT (22:00 GMT) Friday 08 November 2013

Super Typhoon HAIYAN (YOLANDA) has turned into a 305 km/hr howler...and is considered as the most powerful tropical cyclone ever to develop since Super Typhoon Tip of October 1979...moving closer to Eastern Visayas...likely to make landfall over Eastern Leyte or Southern Samar after sunrise today.

Residents and visitors along Northeastern Mindanao, Visayas, and Bicol Regionshould closely monitor the development of Haiyan (Yolanda).

Do not use this for life or death decisions. This update is intended for additional information purposes only. Kindly refer to your national weather agency for official warnings, advisories or bulletins.

 

CURRENT STORM ANALYSIS

As of 11:00 pm today, the eye of STY Haiyan (Yolanda) was located over the South Philippine Sea...about 320 km east-southeast of Tacloban City, Leyte or 425 km east of Metro Cebu...currently moving very quickly west-northwest with a forward speed of 39 km/hr towards Leyte and Southern Samar Area.

Maximum Sustained Winds (1-min. avg) have increased to 305 km/hr near the center with higher gusts. Typhoon Force Winds (118 km/hr or more) extend outward up to 95 kilometers from the center...and Tropical Storm Force Winds (63-117 km/hr) extend outward up to 240 kilometers from the center. STY Haiyan is a small-sized tropical cyclone with a diameter of 610 kilometers across.

2-DAY FORECAST OUTLOOK*

STY Haiyan is expected to move fast in a generally straight, west-northwest track throughout the forecast period. On the forecast track, the core of STY Haiyan will make landfall over the central-eastern shores of Leyte, about 45 km south of Tacloban City between 8-9 AM Friday and cross Northern Leyte passing over or very close to Ormoc City just around noontime Friday. This Super Typhoon will be passing over the northern tip of Cebu, very close to Bogo City around 2 PM then it will start traversing the North Central part of the Visayas through Friday evening...across Northern Panay (very close to Roxas City and Boracay) late Friday afternoon...and will be in the vicinity of Coron, Palawan by Friday midnight. On Saturday evening, Haiyan (Yolanda) will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

STY Haiyan (Yolanda) will start to weaken slightly within the next 24 through 48 hours as the system makes landfall over North Central Visayas...and will be just a Category 4 TY on Saturday. Advance Intensity Forecast (AIF) shows its 1-minute maximum sustained winds decreasing to just 215 km/hr by Saturday evening.

The following is the summary of the 2-day forecast outlook and an extended 3-day forecast on this system:

FRIDAY EVENING: Weakens slightly but remains a very dangerous Category 4 Super Typhoon...over Sulu Sea as it approaches Calamian Group...about 75 km WSW of Boracay [8PM NOV 08: 11.6N 121.3E @ 240kph].
SATURDAY EVENING: Moves out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR)...weakens further while over the South China and West Philippine Seas...about 595 km SE of Da Nang, Vietnam [8PM NOV 09: 13.9N 113.3E @ 215kph].
SUNDAY EVENING: Making landfall along the coast of Central Vietnam...weakens to Category 2...about 70 km NE of Hue, Vietnam [8PM NOV 10: 17.0N 107.2E @ 165kph].

*Please be reminded that the Forecast Outlook changes every 6 hours, and the Day 2 and 3 Forecast Track has an average error of 100 and 250 km respectively...while the wind speed forecast error, averages 35 kph per day. Therefore, a turn to the left or right of its future track and changes in its wind speed must be anticipated from time to time.

EFFECTS & HAZARDS SUMMARY

Below is the summary of the storm's parts and its hazards affecting specific areas. You can also view this image link for you to understand the parts.

30-KM ROUND EYE - over water. Possible calm and lull conditions (with <20 kph winds) will be expected inside the eye (click here to know more about the EYE).
EYEWALL - where Typhoon Conditions with Typhoon Force Winds (>118 kph) will be expected within this wall. Affected Areas: None yet...but approaching the shores of Southern Samar and Leyte. (click here to know more about the Eyewall).
INNER RAINBANDS - where Tropical Storm Conditions with Tropical Storm Force Winds (63-100 kph) will be expected. Affected Areas: Samar, Leyte, Masbate, and Caraga.
OUTER RAINBANDS - where Tropical Depression Conditions with light, moderate to strong winds (30-62 kph) will be expected. Affected Areas: Bicol Region, Northern Palawan, Mindoro, Metro Manila, CaLaBaRZon, Rest of Visayas and Mindanao (click here to know more about Rainbands).
24HR TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATION - from 5 up to 100 mm (slight to heavy rainfall) can be expected along areas affected by the outer & inner rainbands (see above)...with isolated amounts of 101 to 250 mm (heavy) along areas near the center of Haiyan.
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING - possible >18 ft (>5.5 m) above normal tide levels...accompanied by large and dangerous battering waves can be expected along the coastal, inland lakes and beach front areas of Eastern Visayas this morning. Catastrophic damage is likely on this type of storm surge. Danger from Rip Currents or Rip Tides can be expected along the rest of the beach-front areas of Eastern Luzon, Eastern and Northern Mindanao and the rest of Visayas incl. Palawan (click here to know more about Storm Surge).-->

[Thomas]

 

To my understanding, there are no differences between the three -- only the region they affect.  In the Indian Ocean area (cyclone),

 

A cyclone rotates in a clockwise direction and a typhoon in an anti-clockwise direction and they both seem to move east to west. This changes where the most destructive winds hit land. Thats probably the only difference I can see Jake

I don't believe it depend of the name, but of where it goes.

At least concerning water whirlpools it depends of if it is north or south of the equator.

 

Here in the Philippines, it seems that most don't pay that much attention to getting ready for storms because they are so common.  This storm is a killer.  It would be wise to look at some of the tips on this web site, and be prepared.

 

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/ready.php

 

http://www.ready.gov/basic-disaster-supplies-kit

The Filipin friends I have heared from in the red zone, messaged me Thursday 4-6 pm Philippine time they are evacuating. These haven't at earlier typhons, so they seem taking this typhon serious.  (Metro Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. Them at Bohol I haven't heared from some days. I suppouse they have been occupied repairing after the earthquake.)

[Old55]

A friend phoned my wife that her family living in Surigao City fled their home to higher ground due to major flooding in Surigao City. I guess the storm surge?

Hope all you expats keep safe.

Thinking of our friends and family living in harms way today.

[OnMyWay]

Don't take chances.  Stay safe!

[earthdome]

Everyone in the path of this super typhoon in the central Visayas stay safe and best of luck.

 

Looks like I will miss the worst of it here on vacation in Puerto Princesa Palawan.

[Mike J]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/07/philippines-typhoon/3465779/

 

Guys, those of here may be witness to the largest recorded storm in recorded world history.  Do not, repeat Do Not, spit into the wind! :hystery: