The Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) is an area in the Northwestern Pacific where PAGASA, the Philippines' national meteorological agency, monitors weather occurrences. Significant weather disturbances, specifically tropical cyclones that enter or develop in the PAR, are given Philippine-specific names.
The area is bounded by six points namely (clockwise): [1] [2]
This area encompasses almost all of the land territory of the Philippines, except for the southernmost portions of the province of Tawi-Tawi, and some of the country's claimed islands in the Spratlys. The area also includes the main island of Palau, most of Taiwan, as well as portions of the Malaysian state of Sabah, the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa and a small patch of land in Brunei.
The establishing decree of PAGASA mandates the weather agency to monitor weather occurrences occurring within the PAR. [3] [4]
Tropical cyclones are only assigned local names by PAGASA when they enter or develop within the PAR. [5] [6] These names are provided in parallel with internationally recognized names designated by the Japan Meteorological Agency (in its role as the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre for the Northwest Pacific Ocean basin). The rationale for providing local names is that it is felt that Filipinos will respond more to familiar names and that it helps to underscore that these named weather disturbances pose a direct threat to the country. Furthermore, PAGASA provide names earlier when a low pressure area becomes a tropical depression, in contrast to international names that are only issued when a tropical cyclone reaches tropical storm strength (65 km/h and higher), due to the fact that tropical depressions can still cause flooding and other damage. [7]
When a named weather disturbance within the PAR has made or is expected to make a landfall in the Philippines, PAGASA is mandated to issue Tropical Cyclone Bulletins every three or six hours. If the weather disturbance is not affecting land, the weather agency has to issue Tropical Cyclone Bulletins every 12 hours. [8]
Aside from the PAR, PAGASA forecasters have two other areas of responsibilities for tropical cyclone monitoring: the Tropical Cyclone Advisory Domain (TCAD) and the Tropical Cyclone Information Domain (TCID). Together with the PAR, these three areas of the Northwest Pacific Basin are collectively called domains. Since most tropical cyclones come from the broad expanse of ocean east of the country, the eastern boundaries of the PAR, TCAD and TCID are farther from the archipelago than the western boundaries. [1] [8]
The TCAD, considered to be the "middle domain," is located between the PAR and the TCID. TCAD tropical cyclones are too far to have any direct effect to the country but are close enough for monitoring by the PAGASA and prompts the agency to issue a Tropical Cyclone Advisory (a less serious form of tropical cyclone bulletin than the Tropical Cyclone Bulletin). The TCAD includes the area bounded by the imaginary lines connecting the coordinates: 4°N114°E / 4°N 114°E , 27°N114°E / 27°N 114°E , 27°N145°E / 27°N 145°E , 4°N145°E / 4°N 145°E . Note that though the TCAD completely encloses the PAR, it does not include the area within the PAR. [1]
On the other hand, the TCID is the largest and the outermost domain of PAGASA. TCID tropical cyclones are of least concern for PAGASA but are still necessary enough for monitoring and public awareness. The TCID is the area enclosed by the imaginary lines connecting the coordinates: 0°N110°E / 0°N 110°E , 27°N110°E / 27°N 110°E , 27°N155°E / 27°N 155°E , 0°N155°E / 0°N 155°E . Similarly, the TCID excludes the area enclosed by the PAR and the TCAD. [1]
Tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones are named by various warning centers to simplify communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches and warnings. The names are intended to reduce confusion in the event of concurrent storms in the same basin. Once storms develop sustained wind speeds of more than 33 knots, names are generally assigned to them from predetermined lists, depending on the basin in which they originate. Some tropical depressions are named in the Western Pacific, while tropical cyclones must contain a significant amount of gale-force winds before they are named in the Southern Hemisphere.
The 2005 Pacific typhoon season was the least active typhoon season since 2000, producing 23 named storms, of which 13 became typhoons. It was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation, in which tropical cyclones form in the western Pacific Ocean. The season ran throughout 2005, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Kulap, developed on January 13, while the season's last named storm, Bolaven, dissipated on November 20. The season's first typhoon, Haitang, reached typhoon status on July 13, and became the first super typhoon of the year three days later.
The 2000 Pacific typhoon season marked the first year using names contributed by the World Meteorological Organization. It was a rather below-average season, producing a total of 23 tropical storms, 13 typhoons and 4 intense typhoons. The season ran throughout 2000, though typically most tropical cyclones develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Damrey, developed on May 7, while the season's last named storm, Soulik, dissipated on January 4 of the next year.
The 1995 Pacific typhoon season was a slightly below average season in terms of named storms, however it did feature a large number of intense typhoons. It occurred all year round, though most tropical cyclones formed between May and November.
The 1976 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1976, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
The 1973 Pacific typhoon season, in comparison to the two years preceding it, was a below average season, with only 21 named storms and 12 typhoons forming. However, it featured Typhoon Nora, which ties Typhoon June of 1975 for the second strongest typhoon on record. It has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1973, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
The 1963 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1963, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) agency of the Philippines mandated to provide protection against natural calamities and to ensure the safety, well-being and economic security of all the people, and for the promotion of national progress by undertaking scientific and technological services in meteorology, hydrology, climatology, astronomy and other geophysical sciences. Created on December 8, 1972, by reorganizing the Weather Bureau, PAGASA now serves as one of the Scientific and Technological Services Institutes of the Department of Science and Technology.
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .