Hazard Field Trip Project: Map Set of Atmospheric Hazard

The term hurricane is derived from the Caribbean Indian word harakan. It is one of many
regional names given to the atmospheric hazard. It has also been called Huracan, Hunraken, or
Jurakan. The word means evil spirit and big wind. Today it has a specific meaning an intense
from of a general phenomenon known as a tropical cyclone, a low-pressure area that forms over
tropical oceans and is associated with cyclonically rotating winds through most of the
atmosphere. Cyclonic rotation is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in
the Southern Hemisphere. Tropical cyclones can be classified as a hurricane it must have winds
of at least 74-mph somewhere in the storm and must occur over the Atlantic, eastern North
Pacific, or eastern South Pacific Ocean.

There are various factors that contribute to the genesis of a Hurricane. One of these
conditions is a statically unstable atmosphere, such as tropical disturbance where convergence is
occurring at the surface. This is the rising of air to balance an accumulation of air at the surface.
These can form surface troughs and frontal troughs. Troughs are elongated regions of low
atmospheric pressure. The second condition is a water temperature of at least 80 degrees
Fahrenheit. Static instability (thunderstorms) is generated and sustained from the heat transfer
from the ocean to the air. In addition, the third condition is weak vertical wind shear, defined as
the different between wind speed and direction. This means the wind must be blowing roughly
the same speed and blowing from the same direction at all height levels in the atmosphere;
allowing thunderstorms and the wind structure to grow unimpeded. So for tropical storm
intensification into a hurricane, conditions of warm water, moist air and weak wind shear should
be present.

Map Set
For this project I have chosen to study Hurricanes as my natural hazard. Hurricanes most
commonly occur in the Pacific Ocean with the Western Pacific being most active. I have chosen
to focus on hurricanes affecting the Philippine islands in my map set. The Philippines in some
years can be struck by more than 20 tropical storms and typhoons. The island nation is a prime
spot vulnerable to hurricanes every year as it sits in what scientists call the warm pool in the
Western Pacific. With nothing between the country and open water. Reaching winds as high as
123 miles per hour, these hurricanes bring devastating environmental and economic effects to its
people. The data I collected from different sources provided tracking of hurricanes from 1951 to
2009 over the Philippines and the region of South East Asia.

Local Scale: City Bogo City Cebu Island

Scale 1: 62500
1 inch = nearly 1 mile
Area Shown: 10.24 square
miles

The white lines represent where hurricanes have

previously passed over Bogo City in the Philippines. As shown, multiple hurricanes have made
landfall over this city over the past fifty years. This may be due to the citys location. This city is
located on the northeastern coast of the Cebu Island and is close to the Pacific Ocean in which all
the hurricanes affecting the Philippines originate from. Although not shown by the large scale
map provided, I noticed the large island below Cebu Island called the Bohol Island experiences
almost no landfall of hurricanes. This pattern may be due to the island below lying close enough

to the equator that hurricanes do not drift into this area. From observations it shows that no
hurricanes form within 5 degrees latitude of the equator. It is argued that the Coriolis force here
is too weak to get air to rotate around a low pressure rather than the flow from high to low
pressure. If there is no rotation of air, no storm is generated. The Cebu Island however, lies just
far enough away from the equator for it to be vulnerable to force of hurricanes. This may explain
why it is experiencing much landfall of hurricanes whilst Bohol Island does not. These
hurricanes cause vast amounts of damage to agriculture and infrastructure. Especially when
highly populated regions of the country are affected. Due to the Philippines high population
density, the effects are felt almost every time a powerful storm hits. Hurricanes cause significant
damage to the Philippines because of the low-lying coastal islands 60% of the people live on.
Storms cause water to surge up to 20 feet these waves roll over low-lying parts of densely
populated islands such as Cebu Island affecting those inhabiting Bogo City. Preventing a
hurricane is near impossible, however preventative measures can aid in managing such natural
hazards.

Regional Scale: Southeast Asia

Scale 1 inch = 285.2 square

miles
Area shown: 2304580 square
miles

The white lines represent the hurricanes that have made landfall over the Cebu Island. However,
the different colored tracking lines represent other hurricanes that have no only passed over Cebu
Island but also the many islands surrounding it. From my research I found the Philippines
experienced a plethora of hurricanes passing through the island region. The hurricanes are
generated over the warm waters of the Philippine Sea, located in the western part of the North
Pacific Ocean. This means that they drift inland from the Pacific Ocean to the East, therefore my
tracking lines subsequently represent hurricanes moving from East to the West, which is the
pattern I noticed. Hurricanes have a primary and secondary type or circulation influenced by the
Coriolis force, centrifugal force, pressure gradient and friction. These direct the energy flow of
the storm. This pattern of hurricane movement from East to West and never in the other direction
suggested that the rotation of the Earth from the opposite West to East might factor into this.
Hurricanes may have dangerous effect even after they have moved on from the area. For
example, many storm survivors have been killed by mudslides. The increased probability of a
these mudslides occurring can be attributed to the deforestation in the Philippines which remove
the roots of trees providing much of the natural stability of a slope.
I noticed the words in the regional map were not large enough to be read as it is zoomed out. I
have linked an alternative, more legible map if the need to read the names of the locations arises.
http://mapmaker.education.nationalgeographic.com/yPN7yItssUMe5uAOsjPt2
/

To manage such hazards and prevent extensive damage and loss, both the government as well as
the general population need to work together to devise plans to evacuate to safety, have adequate
access to supplies, and also access to resources that can help improve their chances of not
coming to harm.

Scale: Continental Continent of Asia

Scale 1 inch = 713.1 miles

For the third map, it is a small scale map greatly zoomed

out to show the continent of Asia and how the
hurricanes forming over the Western Pacific affect other
countries in the region as well. Even after making
landfall over the Philippine Islands, some hurricanes
still contain enough energy to traverse further inland toward countries such as Japan, Taiwan,
China, Laos, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Cambodia. The pattern of hurricanes is still shown to
originate from the Western Pacific in the East toward the West. There is no evidence of
hurricanes forming elsewhere or drifting anywhere but westward. The genesis of hurricanes from

this area and reasons for this type of movement can most likely be explained through particular
conditions surrounding the region and continent to promote tropical depressions. With being
located just above the equator the Philippines faces the western Pacific with nothing in the way
to bear the front of storms before landfall. Also, having the warmest ocean temperatures in the
world help increase and maintain the power of a storm.

Another factor which makes the Philippines so vulnerable to the forces of hurricanes is the
underdevelopment of the country. Much of the population is poor, young and has increasingly
moved into inferior housing developed on the coastal regions. Also, there are ineffective
evacuation plans set up by the government for these areas. Local governments should have a
strategy and plans in place to assess damage and recover operations and services. Information
such as emergency contact lists should be freely available to all. Governments should make well
known to their people the evacuation routes. Risk assessment of areas that would be vulnerable
to the hurricanes effects should be completed and residents informed. Local media and
technology is a tool governments can utilize to broadcast these messages. These measures would
reduce the impact of this natural hazard through getting the population better prepared. People
might better understand what to do, who to contact where to go when and before the storm hits,
and also help the gradual recovery of the affected areas after. In these ways the impact of the
storm can be reduced significantly.

Citations:
Chapters in Books:
Patrick J. Fitzpatrick. Hurricanes: Second Edition. Contemporary World Issues. Background
on Hurricanes. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, Inc. 2006. 1-14. Print.
Emauel. Kerry. Divine Wind. The History and Science of Hurricanes. New York: Oxford
University Press, Inc. 18-28, 41-4. Print.
Websites:
Alojado, Dominic. Michael L. Padua, David. The Twelve Worst Typhoons of The Philippines
(1947-2009) NPMOC/Joint Typhoon Warning Center, 2010. Web. 29 Jan 2016.
n.p. Hurricane Preparedness Be Ready NOAA, n.d. Web. 28 Jan 2016.
n.p. Hurricane MapsOfWorld, 2016. Web. 29 Jan 2016

J.Lee, Jane. Why The Philippines is Being Battered by Yet another Fearsome Typhoon
National Geographic. 2015. Web. 29 Jan 2016