Hydrometeorological Hazards

a process or phenomenon of
atmospheric, hydrological or
oceanographic nature that may cause
loss of life, injury or other health impacts,
property damage, loss of livelihoods and
services, social and economic
disruption, or environmental damage
1. Tropical Cyclone
also called typhoon or hurricane
an intense circular storm that
originates over warm tropical
oceans and is characterized by
low atmospheric pressure, high
winds, and heavy rain
 Weather Forecast
scientific estimate of future
weather condition, wherein a
weather condition is a state of
the atmosphere at a given time
expressed in terms of the most
significant variables
 Weather Forecast
• Observation
• Collection and Transmission of
Weather Data
• Plotting of Weather Data
• Analysis of Weather Maps, Satellite
and Radar Imageries and Other
Data
• Formulation of the Forecast
 Predicting Signs of a Typhoon

1. ‘Towering’
Clouds
Cumulus clouds
are often seen
as fluffy, fair-
weather cotton
balls in the sky.
 Predicting Signs of a Typhoon

2. Arcing ‘Shelf’
Clouds
also known as “shelf”
clouds, these wedge-
shaped/“arcus”
clouds are attached
to parent clouds,
resulting in a
thunderstorm
 Predicting Signs of a Typhoon
3. Cloud Color
lowered cloud base with the
threatening bluish-black
underside (wall cloud) loom
in the distance behind the
mountain range

Green clouds in particular

typically point to severe
weather. For clouds to
appear green, they must be
very deep (tall).
 Predicting Signs of a Typhoon
4. Cloud Location
And Sun Rays
At first glance of this scene
looks peaceful, with shafts of
sunlight trickling through
gaps in the clouds.

A large number of smaller

cumulus clouds in the
foreground are beginning to
build upward and are
unusually dark.
 Predicting Signs of a Typhoon
5. Cloud
Movement
A rotating wall cloud with
a lowered cloud base is
characteristic of a severe
thunderstorm (supercell).

It’s the most obvious sign

of a severe storm: twisting,
rotating, and unusually
quick-moving clouds.
2. Thunderstorm
a powerful, short-lived weather
disturbance, almost always associated
with lightning, thunder, dense clouds,
heavy rain or hail, and fast, roaring winds

occur when layers of dry, moist air rise to

cooler regions of the atmosphere in a
broad, rapid updraft
Stages of Thunderstorm Formation

1. Cumulus Stage
where the sun
heats the Earth's
surface during
the day and
warms the air
around it
 Stages of Thunderstorm Formation

2. Mature Stage
A cumulus cloud
becomes very large,
where the water therein
becomes large and
heavy, and raindrops
begin to fall through
the cloud when the
rising air can no longer
hold them up.
Stages of Thunderstorm Formation
3. Dissipating Stage
occurs after 30 mins,
when the downdrafts
in the cloud begins to
dominate over the
updraft. Since warm
moist air can no
longer rise, cloud
droplets can no
longer form.
3. Flood

a high-water stage in which

water overflows its natural or
artificial banks onto normally dry
land, such as a river inundating
its floodplain
 Types of Floods
1. Inland Flooding
ordinary flooding
that occurs in
inland areas,
hundreds of
miles from the
coast
 Types of Floods
2. Flash Flood
• caused by heavy rain or the sudden
release of water over a short period of time
• The name "flash" refers to their fast
occurrence and also to their raging torrents
of water that move with great speed.
• Flash floods are also caused by heavy
precipitation in a short period of time,
usually less than 6 hours.
 Types of Floods
3. River flooding
occurs when water
levels in rivers, lakes,
and streams rise and
overflow onto the
surrounding banks,
shores, and
neighboring land
 Types of Floods
4. Coastal
flooding
inundation of
land areas
along the coast
by seawater
 Types of Floods
5. Urban
flooding
occurs when
there is a lack of
drainage in an
urban (city)
area
4. Storm Surge
"Daluyong ng Bagyo"

irregular sea-level rise during

tropical cyclone or "bagyo"
occurs
Storm Surge Considerations
• strength of the tropical cyclone
• the height of the surge
• community located in the low-
lying area
5. El Niño
The Little Boy, or Christ Child

large-scale ocean-atmosphere
climate interaction linked to a
periodic warming in sea surface
temperatures across the central
and east-central Equatorial Pacific
6. La Niña
The Little Girl, El Viejo, anti-El Niño, "a
cold event"

weather phenomenon characterized by

unusually below-average/cold ocean
temperature in the Equatorial Pacific
which causes increased numbers of
tropical storms in the Pacific Ocean
 Climate and
Weather-Related
Hazards
 Climate and Weather-
Related Hazards
direct and indirect effects of observed
changes in the frequencies and
occurrences of extreme
weather/climate events (such as
tropical cyclones, droughts, and El
Niño and La Niña events)
 Aspect Drought El Niño
Prolonged low Warming of sea
Definition precipitation; water surface temperatures
scarcity in the equatorial
Pacific Ocean
Below-average rainfall,
Causes high temperatures, Relaxation of easterly
changes in weather trade winds
patterns
Altered global
Effects Crop failures, water weather patterns;
shortages, environmental droughts in some
stress regions, increased
rainfall in others
Climate in the Philippines
• There are two seasons in the country,
the wet season and the dry season,
based upon the amount of rainfall.
• The even warmest months of the year
are from March to October. The
winter monsoon brings cooler air
from November to February. May is
the warmest month, and January,
the coolest.
• There are three recognized seasons:
❑ Tag-init or Tag-araw (the hot season or summer
from March to May)
❑ Tag-ulan (the rainy season from June to
November)
❑ Taglamig (the cold season from December to
February)
• The humid southwest monsoon (May-
October) is known as "Habagat".
• The cool and dry winds of the northeast
monsoon (November April) are called
"Amihan."
Modified Coronas Climate Classification
shows the monthly rainfall
variations in the Philippines
Rainfall distribution throughout the country
varies from one region to another,
depending upon the direction of the winds
and the location of mountain systems.
Type Dry Season Wet Season
I November to April rest of the year
Maximum rain period
II from December to
No dry season February; minimum
rainfall during the period
from March to May
Short dry season
either during the
period from No very pronounced
III December to maximum rain period
February of from
March to May
Rainfall evenly
IV No dry season distributed throughout
the year
 Rainfall Observation
In their weather forecast, PAGASA publishes
regularly updated color-coded satellite images
generated from Himawari-8, a geo-stationary
weather satellite that that visualizes rain
distribution in the Philippines.
This satellite is successor to Japan Meteorological
Agency’s Multifunctional Transport Satellite
(MTSAT) series, and is currently the most used
satellite imagery for weather monitoring.
 Philippine Radar Network
The state weather bureau has installed at least
11 Doppler Weather Radars in the country. The
radar stations are located as follows:
• Luzon: Aparri, Baguio, Subic, Baler, Tagaytay, Virac
• Visayas: Mactan, Guiuan, Iloilo (new)
• Mindanao: Tampakan, Hinatuan

Several more radars will be installed in the future –

in Batanes, Palawan, and Zamboanga.
Philippine Radar Network
 Tipping-Bucket Rain Gauge
A tipping bucket rain
gauge is a relatively
simple mechanism used
to measure rainfall.
The funnel collects the
rain and when it has a
certain amount of
precipitation, the rain
gauge sends electrical
signals to the receiver.
 Doppler Radar
Weather radar (also known
as Doppler weather radar)
is an instrument that sends
pulses of electromagnetic
energy into the atmosphere
to find precipitation,
determine its motion and
intensity, and identify the
precipitation type such as
rain, snow or hail.
 Flood Hazard Map
A tool that
determines
flood zone
areas due to
different
hazards such
as storm,
surge waves,
sea level.
Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH)
• a program under DOST, advance the use of
cutting edge technology and recommend
innovative information services in
government’s disaster prevention and
mitigation efforts
• displays the PAGASA radar data, rainfall
measurements of rain gauges of DOST, and
has flood hazard maps in the Philippines
• DOST-NOAH can be accessed online at
http://noah.up.edu.ph/
 Flood Hazard Map
A tool that
determines
flood zone
areas due to
different
hazards such
as storm,
surge waves,
sea level.
 Tools Used for
Measuring
Hydrometeorological
Hazards
 Tools Functions
Anemometer Measures wind speed
Basic Tools
Wind Vane Determines wind direction
Thermometer Measures air temperature
Temperature Records and displays continuous
Thermograph
temperature variations over time
Mercurial Measures atmospheric pressure
Barometer using a column of mercury
Aneroid Measures atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric Barometer using a flexible metal chamber
Pressure
Records and displays continuous
Barograph changes in atmospheric pressure
over time
 Tools Functions
Measures relative humidity by
Sling
Atmospheric comparing wet-bulb and dry-bulb
Psychrometer
Relative temperatures
Humidity Measures and indicates humidity
Hygrometer levels in the air
Tipping-
Measures precipitation by
Bucket Rain
Gauge collecting rain in a tipping bucket
Precipitation Doppler Detects motion of precipitation
Radar particles and measures their speed
8-inch Rain Measures rainfall by collecting
Gauge water in a graduated cylinder
 Tools Functions
Ceiling Light Determines cloud base height by
Clouds Projector projecting light upwards
Measures cloud base height by
Ceiling
releasing a balloon with a known
Balloon
ascent rate
Measures upper-level wind direction
Pilot Balloon
and speed
Measures the angle of elevation
Special Theodolite and azimuth of celestial bodies or
Instruments other distant objects
Measures atmospheric conditions
Radiosonde and transmits data to a ground
station via radio signals
 Tools Functions
Similar to radiosonde but
Rawinsonde released by weather balloons
at different altitudes
Special Wind Detects and measures the
Instruments Finding speed and direction of winds
Radar at various altitudes
Weather Provides a broad view of
Surveillance precipitation, storms, and
Radar other weather phenomena
Basic weather tools
Wind Vane
determines wind direction
A wind vane is mounted on a shaft
or spire that is elevated off the
ground. The wind catches the
rudder blade and makes it rotate.
The narrow end of the vane points
into the wind and tells you the
direction the wind is coming from.
Basic weather tools
Anemometers
measures wind speed
Anemometers measure wind speed by
the amount of wind pressure against a
surface, such as a cup or a propeller, or
by using sonic pulses. Anemometers
report wind speed in miles per hour
(mph), kilometers per hour (kph), meters
per second (m/s), or knots.
For measuring temperature

Thermometer
measures the extent of a given
substance's hotness or coldness
Mercury is one of the liquids which is overly
sensitive to temperature changes. The
mercury expands and rises in the capillary
tube when the substance to be measured
is warm. Instead, mercury contracts. That is,
principle of thermal expansion.
For measuring temperature
Thermograph
This tool records air
temperature continuously
on graphing paper during
a period in a given area.
It uses digital infrared
imaging to record slight
changes in temperature.
For atmospheric pressure

Mercurial Barometer

measure atmospheric pressure

with a column of mercury
For atmospheric pressure
Aneroid Barometer
measures the
height or altitude
of an object
above a reference
point, typically
above sea level
For atmospheric pressure
Barograph
records the barometric
pressure over time in
graphical form.

This instrument is also

used to make a
continuous recording of
atmospheric pressure.
For measuring atmospheric relative humidity

Sling Psychometer
One of the oldest used instrument for
determining relative humidity is the whirling
hygrometer (or sling psychrometer).

Whirling hygrometer consists of two

thermometers that are turned by vigorously
swinging the handle and exposing the
thermometers to rapid air movement.
For measuring atmospheric relative humidity

Hygrometer
It uses human hair from which
the oil has been removed by
using ether. The hair becomes
longer as the relative humidity
of the air increases. This change
can be made to move an
indicator needle which moves
over a scale, the graduations of
which reads from 0% to 100%.
For measuring precipitation
8-inch Rain Gauge
An 8-inch rain gauge, so called because
the inside diameter of the collector is
exactly 8 inches above a funnel that
conducts rain into a cylindrical measuring
tube or receiver.

The volume of the collector is 10 times the volume

of the measuring tube. Therefore the actual depth
of rainfall is increased ten times on being
collected in the smaller measuring tube.
For measuring precipitation
Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge
It is an upright cylinder that has funnel-
shaped collector. The precipitation
collected by the collector empties into
one side of a "tipping bucket", an inverted
triangular contraption partitioned
transversely at its center, and is pivoted
about a horizontal axis.
Once one compartment is filled with rain, it tips, spilling out
the water and placing the other half of the bucket under
the funnel. The tipping activates a mercury switch causing
an electrical current to move the pen in the recorder. Each
tipping is equal to one-half millimeter of rainfall.
For measuring clouds
Ceiling Light Projector
A ceiling light projector projects
vertically a narrow beam of light
on to a cloud base.
The height of the cloud base is determined by
using a clinometer located at a known distance
from the projector to measure the elevation
angle included by the illuminated spot on the
cloud, the observe, and the projector.
For measuring clouds
Ceiling Balloon
A ceiling balloon is a meteorological
balloon whose rate of ascent has been
predetermined. It is filled with gas lighter
than air, usually hydrogen, and
released. The time of release and the
time the balloon disappears into the
cloud are recorded. The time difference
multiplied by the rate of ascent will give
the height of the cloud base.
Special Instruments
Pilot Balloon
A Pilot Balloon is a
meteorological balloon that is
filled with gas lighter than air.
When the pilot balloon is used in
conjunction with a theodolite, it is
used to determine the speed and
direction of winds at different
levels of the atmosphere.
Special Instruments
Theodolite
The theodolite is similar to an
engineer's transit. It consists of a
sighting telescope mounted so
that it is free to rotate around a
horizontal and a vertical axis and
has graduated scales so that the
angles of rotation maybe
measured while tracking the pilot
balloon.
Special Instruments
Pilot Balloon/Theodolite
The elevation angles and
azimuths of the balloon
are recorded from the
theodolite and these data
at the end of the flight
which may last for more
than an hour are plotted
to a plotting board.
Special Instruments
Radiosonde
It is an airborne instrument used for
measuring pressure, temperature and
relative humidity in the upper air. The
instrument is carried aloft by a
meteorological balloon inflated with
hydrogen. The radiosonde has a built-in
high frequency transmitter that transmits
data from the radiosonde meter and
recorded on the ground by a specially
designed radiosonde receiver.
Special Instruments
Rawinsonde
The rawindsonde is an electronic
device used for measuring wind
velocity, pressure, temperature
and humidity aloft. It is also
attached to a balloon and as it
rises through the atmosphere, it
makes the required
measurements.
Special Instruments
Wind Finding Radar
It determines the speed and
direction of winds aloft by
means of radar echoes. A
radar target is attached to
a balloon and it is this target
that is tracked by ground
radar. The bearing and time
of interval of the echoes is
evaluated by a receiver.
Special Instruments
Weather
Surveillance Radar
It detects and tracks
typhoons and cloud masses
at distance of 400 kilometers
or less. This radar has a
rotating antenna disk
preferably mounted on top
of a building free from any
physical obstruction.