Typhoon Goni, known as Rolly in the Philippines, has recently made landfall, causing significant disruption and damage. The Philippines is no stranger to such extreme weather events, getting hit by approximately 20 storms and typhoons annually. Goni is the most powerful storm to impact the country since Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which resulted in the demise of over 6,000 individuals. As the world’s strongest typhoon in 2020, Goni brings to light the reality of tropical cyclones and the dangers they pose. With another storm, Atsani, gaining strength in the Pacific Ocean and preparing to approach the Philippines, it’s essential to understand what these meteorological occurrences are, how they’re named and measured.
Understanding Tropical Cyclones
A ‘typhoon’, as Goni is referred to, is a region-specific term for a potent tropical cyclone. Tropical cyclones are rotating, organized systems of clouds and thunderstorms originating over tropical or subtropical waters, exhibiting closed, low-level circulation. They are known by various names across the globe – ‘typhoons’ in the northwest pacific ocean, ‘hurricanes’ in the North Atlantic Ocean, ‘Willy-willies’ in north-western Australia, and simply ‘Tropical Cyclones’ in the Indian Ocean Region.
In the Northern Hemisphere, these cyclones rotate counter-clockwise. Meteorologists use the generic term ‘tropical cyclone’ to describe them. They measure their intensity using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Typhoons Vs. Other Storms
Despite the varying terminology, typhoons, hurricanes, willy-willies, and tropical cyclones are essentially the same phenomena, just occurring in different parts of the world. What sets them apart is primarily their geographical location. For instance, in the week preceding Typhoon Goni, the Philippines was struck by Typhoon Molave, another severe tropical cyclone.
Naming of Typhoons
The Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tokyo – Typhoon Centre is in charge of assigning names to tropical cyclones. These names are taken from one of five lists. The name ‘Goni’, for example, was contributed by South Korea. The naming system allows for easier communication about the storms and helps in identifying them.
Recent Typhoon Activity
As of now, another storm named Atsani is currently developing in the Pacific Ocean, and it’s expected to approach the Philippines soon, following closely behind Goni and Molave. This flurry of typhoon activity underscores the importance of understanding these extreme weather events and how they’re classified and named.
Awareness and preparation can significantly influence how communities respond to such crises and the extent of their impacts. As demonstrated by Typhoon Goni, the strongest global typhoon of 2020, the destructive power of these storms is not to be underestimated.