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Remembering Yolanda | November 8, 2013

Yolanda in the eye of PAGASA: Delubyo

Along Arnaldo blvd, Roxas City, Photo Taken around 3:45 PM Nov. 8, 2013
Along Arnaldo blvd, Roxas City, Photo Taken around 3:45 PM Nov. 8, 2013

Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) greatly devastated Eastern Visayas particularly the provinces of Tacloban, Leyte the Super Typhoon that claimed more than six thousand lives.

In a press conference held at PAGASA, one from the media asked the officials of the weather bureau if they are to describe in one word the typhoon, what would it be. Mr. Robert Sawi, OIC of Weather Division answered “delubyo”.

PAGASA, the official state weather bureau were tasked to monitor and gauge the possible threat of Yolanda.

Chronology of Events

November 01 2013: Typhoon Yolanda was first spotted as Low Pressure Area (LPA) over Caroline Island.

November 02 2013: the LPA has developed into Tropical Depression.

November 04 2013: It has intensified into Tropical Storm and was given an international name “Haiyan”.

November 06 2013: Though outside Philippine Area of Responisibility (PAR), PAGASA has included the typhoon in the 5am weather bulletin having a maximum sustained winds 120-kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150-kph with forecast movement speed of 30-kph westward.

November 07 2013: Press Conference and press briefings are done every six hours. PAGASA also provided hourly update regarding the location and intensity of Typhoon Yolanda.

November 08 2013: An auxiliary bulletin was issued at 2AM to include other areas in Central Visayas and Southern Luzon under Public Storm Warning Signal #4 due to acceleration of Yolanda.

At 4:40 AM, Yolanda has made landfall over Guiuan, Eastern Samar and at 11 PM, Yolanda exits the landmass of Northern Palawan after crossing Central Visayas and Southern Luzon.

November 09 2013: Public Storm Warning Signal #3 and #4 were lowered and final bulletin was issued at 3:30 PM as Typhoon Yolanda exit PAR.

According to the weather bureau, Typhoon Yolanda is the 24th tropical cyclone that entered PAR last year. The cloud bond of the typhoon is expanded up to 600 kilometer in diameter and it has made six landfalls.

SIX_LANDFALL

* Guiuan, Eastern Samar
* Tolosa, Leyte
* Daan, Bantayan Cebu
* Bantayan Island, Cebu
* Concepcion, Iloilo
* Busuanga, Palawan

Basing on the forecast and actual track of Yolanda, PAGASA has nearly made accurate information.

Source: PAGASA
Source: PAGASA

While typhoon Yolanda traverses the landmass of Visayas and Southern Luzon, the PAGASA stations have recorded different wind strength and gustiness.

Source: PAGASA
Source: PAGASA

In terms of rainfall, prior to the land falling Leyte has received 31 to 150 millimeters of rain in 24-hour period on November 7. While Leyte has only received 31 to 60 millimeters of rain in the same period of time during the passage of typhoon across the landmass on November 8. PAGASA weather forecaster Chris Perez explained, strong winds is one factor why lesser amount of rains were experienced during the passage of Yolanda across the landmass.

Source: PAGASA
Source: PAGASA

Communication is the Key

When typhoon Yolanda was monitored and still outside PAR, a series of meeting was held by PAGASA with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and Local Government Units (LGU’s). Hourly update and forecast position were discussed during the meeting. Storm surges of five to seven meters has been emphasized during the discussion and was expected to over the coastal areas of Surigao, Dinagat, Samar and Leyte, Sorsogon, Masbate and Northern Cebu.

Information from PAGASA was directly forwarded to Office of the President, Office of Civil Defense, PAGASA Regional Centers and National Media until it reaches the general public.

President Benigno Aquino III has formally announced on national television the danger of Yolanda, and even the hazard of storm surges was also mentioned.

communication_chart

Yolanda became our greatest teacher

Super typhoon Yolanda has been a great challenge to PAGASA. This paved way for a more keen approached in terms of weather forecasting.

Aside from releasing Public Storm Warning Signals (PSWS) along with its written impact, PAGASA is now looking into adding information such as the different impacts brought by storm surges.

The weather bureau will now also provide a 5 day forecast track instead of 3 day forecast track to NDRRMC for close monitoring of weather disturbances, and a series of press conference are being held for fast dissemination of information.

JESY BASCO is an Advocate of Responsible Media and a Weather Reporter at Panahon TV, aired daily at 5:00 AM on the People’s Television (PTV).