Super Typhoon Hinnamnor
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Context
- Super Typhoon Hinnamnor, is raging towards the East China Sea, threatening Japan’s southern islands, according to a forecast from the Japan Meteorological Agency.
About
- Super Typhoon Hinnamnor is similar to a category-5 hurricane.
- Currently it is moving across the East China Sea, threatening the southern islands of Japan and China’s east coast. It is bringing about 257 kilometres per hour and gusts of 314 kilometres per hour.
- Hinnamnor is the 11th tropical storm of the year. It is the strongest tropical storm of 2022.
- The epicentre of the storm was located about 643 kilometres south-southeast of Japan’s Kyushu island.
Tropical Storms
- Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons are all types of tropical storms. But are given different names depending on where they appear.
- Hurricanes are tropical storms that form over the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeast Pacific.
- Cyclones are formed over the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.
- Typhoons are formed over the Northwest Pacific Ocean.
A storm must attain a sustained wind-speed of at least 240 kmph in order to be classified as a super typhoon.
Favorable Conditions required
- Large sea surface with temperature higher than 27° C,
- Presence of the Coriolis force enough to create a cyclonic vortex,
- Small variations in the vertical wind speed,
- A pre-existing weak low-pressure area or low-level-cyclonic circulation,
- Upper divergence above the sea level system,
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KEY CONCEPTS Coriolis Effect The Coriolis effect is the apparent acceleration of a moving body as a result of the Earth's rotation. It makes things (like planes or currents of air) traveling long distances around the Earth appear to move at a curve as opposed to a straight line. The Coriolis effect is an important determinant of wind direction on a global scale.
Wind shear Wind shear sometimes referred to as wind gradient, occurs when there is a change in the direction or speed of wind usually at short distances. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizontal wind shear. Vertical wind shear is a change in wind speed or direction of winds at increasing heights in the atmosphere. Horizontal wind shear is a change in wind speed with change in lateral position for a given altitude. For cyclones to develop, low vertical wind shear is a must.
Atmospheric Instability Atmospheric stability determines whether or not air will rise and cause storms; sink and cause clear skies; or essentially do nothing.
Atmospheric instability If an air parcel is warmer than its surrounding environment, then it will be less dense than its surroundings and will rise like a hot air balloon. This is Unstable Air and has the potential for creating thunder storms if it contains enough water vapor.
If an air parcel is cooler than its surrounding environment, then it will be denser than its environment and will sink. Think of this situation as a pebble sinking in water. This is Stable Air which generally leads to clear skies.
If an air parcel is the same temperature as its surrounding environment, then the parcel will not move of its own accord. This is Neutral Air. |
Key Components
- A pre-existing meteorological disturbance, warm tropical waters, moisture and relatively mild winds are the key components of a typhoon. Fierce winds, large waves, heavy rains and floods are likely when the appropriate conditions endure for a long enough time.
Main Islands of Japan
- Okinawa
Okinawa is located between the East China Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, it is the largest and most populated on the 72 islands in the chain that make up the Ryukyu Archipelago.
- Shikoku
Shikoku has high mountains and steep slopes, which limit habitability. Shikoku is the smallest of the main islands in the Japanese Archipelago.
- Kyushu
Kyushu is a mountainous island, with many signs of tectonic activity, including numerous areas with hot springs and volcanoes. The island houses Japan's most active volcano, Mt. Aso.
- Hokkaido
Hokkaido is the northernmost and largest prefecture in Japan. Hokkaido has a major role in agriculture, ranking first in Japan in production on a number of products like corn, beef, and wheat.
- Honshu
Honshu is the largest and most populous island in the Japanese archipelago and the seventh-largest island in the world. Honshu features many rivers, including the longest one in Japan the Shinano River.
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