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Typhoon Dolphin (2008)
Encyclopedia
Typhoon Dolphin was the 22nd Tropical Storm and the 11th Typhoon to be monitored by the Japan Meteorological Agency
. Dolphin was also the 27th Tropical Depression, 25th Tropical Storm as well as the 12th Typhoon to be monitored by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
during the 2008 Pacific typhoon season
. The only impact that was reported from Typhoon Dolphin was to the M/Bca Mae Jan, which was a cargo passenger ship which sank on December 14, due to rough seas caused by Typhoon Dolphin. There were 46 people reported dead while seven were reported as missing.
Typhoon Dolphin formed as a Tropical Depression early on December 8, 2008 to the northwest of Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Over the next few days as the depression moved towards the west, the depression slowly intensified into a Tropical Storm being named Dolphin by the JMA on December 12. The next day as Tropical Storm Dolphin moved into PAGASA's area of responsibility, it was assigned the local name of Ulysses. Dolphin was then upgraded to a Typhoon the next day and reached its peak winds off 65 kts (75 mph; 120 km/h 10-minute winds) and 90 kts (105 mph; 165 km/h 1-minute winds) later that day. On November 17, as Typhoon Dolphin was approaching the edge of PAGASA's Area of responsibility, it was downgraded to a tropical storm by both the JMA and the JTWC. Tropical Storm Dolphin was then declared as extratropical the next day as it moved towards the northeast.
(JMA) reported that an extra-tropical low had formed about 175 km (108.7 mi) to the northeast of Iwo To. During the next day the low rapidly moved towards the northeast and intensified quickly reaching an initial peak intensity of 110 km/h (70 mph). During the next couple of days the low started to move towards the southeast, and was gradually curving towards the south. Early on December 8 the JMA classified the low as a weak tropical depression whilst located about 520 km (323.1 mi)to the southeast of Wake Island
.
However early the next day, the JMA downgraded the depression to a low pressure area as the depression's low level circulation center was partially exposed and was in an area of moderate to high vertical wind shear. However the JMA re-upgraded the disturbance to a weak tropical depression 24 hours later. At 0600 UTC that morning, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
(JTWC), released a significant tropical weather advisory and rated the chances of the disturbance becoming a significant tropical cyclone within 24 hours as poor, due to a quikscat pass had shown that the low level circulation center had broken down into a wave. However after the advisory was released the low level circulation center started to rapidly consolidated, and thus the JTWC initiated issuing warnings at 1200 UTC, and designated it as Tropical Depression 27W whilst it was about 640 km (397.7 mi) to the east of Guam and moving towards the west. Early the next day the depression's centre passed about 100 km (62.1 mi) to the south of Guam and made its closest approach.
and Hawaii
. The most affected areas included New Ireland, Bougainville, Manus
, East Sepik
, Morobe
, and West Sepik. The waves affected over 50 000 to 80 000 people with over 400 people left homeless after their homes were destroyed.
forecast office in Guam
issued a tropical storm warning
for Guam as tropical storm conditions were anticipated to impact the island within 24 hours. A tropical storm watch
was also declared for Rota
at this time as tropical storm-force winds were possibly going to affect Rota within 24 hours. Early the next day the tropical storm watch for Rota was cancelled followed by the tropical storm warning for Guam
later that day as the depression was accelerating away from the Islands. The Guam Emergency Operations Center was partially activated and Guam Homeland Security and Office of Civil Defense personnel were on call in case they were needed. Residents were advised to bring in all holiday decorations that may become airborne and prepare their emergency disaster kits. Within Guam, flights in and out of Guam International Airport were not cancelled as winds did not exceed 90 km/h, (55 mph). The maximum reported rainfall amount was at Inarajan Handar which reported 2.05 inches of rainfall in the 48 hours starting on December 10 at 0100 UTC. Guam government officials reported that there was not much significant damage, with power outages around the island being sporadic which were primarily caused by falling trees and debris. There was also some minor flooding and beach erosion caused by storm tides.
The Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council reported on December 17 that the local Government unit of Ballesteros, Cagayan
had provided assistance worth 16,500 PHP
($352 2008 USD). Whilst the Department of Health-Center for Health Development had provided 27,203 PHP ($582 2008 USD) worth of assistance, in the form of drugs, fluids and medicines for the injured victims that were confined at the Ballesteros District Hospital. The Department of Social Welfare and Development provided cash and relief goods totalling up to 128,000 PHP ($2,740 2008 USD), The Department of Social Welfare and Development also propositioned standby funds of 255,000 PHP ($5,453 2008 USD).
Japan Meteorological Agency
The or JMA, is the Japanese government's weather service. Charged with gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan, it is a semi-autonomous part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport...
. Dolphin was also the 27th Tropical Depression, 25th Tropical Storm as well as the 12th Typhoon to be monitored by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
during the 2008 Pacific typhoon season
2008 Pacific typhoon season
The 2008 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it runs year-round in 2008, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November...
. The only impact that was reported from Typhoon Dolphin was to the M/Bca Mae Jan, which was a cargo passenger ship which sank on December 14, due to rough seas caused by Typhoon Dolphin. There were 46 people reported dead while seven were reported as missing.
Typhoon Dolphin formed as a Tropical Depression early on December 8, 2008 to the northwest of Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Over the next few days as the depression moved towards the west, the depression slowly intensified into a Tropical Storm being named Dolphin by the JMA on December 12. The next day as Tropical Storm Dolphin moved into PAGASA's area of responsibility, it was assigned the local name of Ulysses. Dolphin was then upgraded to a Typhoon the next day and reached its peak winds off 65 kts (75 mph; 120 km/h 10-minute winds) and 90 kts (105 mph; 165 km/h 1-minute winds) later that day. On November 17, as Typhoon Dolphin was approaching the edge of PAGASA's Area of responsibility, it was downgraded to a tropical storm by both the JMA and the JTWC. Tropical Storm Dolphin was then declared as extratropical the next day as it moved towards the northeast.
Meteorological history
During December 2, the Japan Meteorological AgencyJapan Meteorological Agency
The or JMA, is the Japanese government's weather service. Charged with gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan, it is a semi-autonomous part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport...
(JMA) reported that an extra-tropical low had formed about 175 km (108.7 mi) to the northeast of Iwo To. During the next day the low rapidly moved towards the northeast and intensified quickly reaching an initial peak intensity of 110 km/h (70 mph). During the next couple of days the low started to move towards the southeast, and was gradually curving towards the south. Early on December 8 the JMA classified the low as a weak tropical depression whilst located about 520 km (323.1 mi)to the southeast of Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
.
However early the next day, the JMA downgraded the depression to a low pressure area as the depression's low level circulation center was partially exposed and was in an area of moderate to high vertical wind shear. However the JMA re-upgraded the disturbance to a weak tropical depression 24 hours later. At 0600 UTC that morning, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
(JTWC), released a significant tropical weather advisory and rated the chances of the disturbance becoming a significant tropical cyclone within 24 hours as poor, due to a quikscat pass had shown that the low level circulation center had broken down into a wave. However after the advisory was released the low level circulation center started to rapidly consolidated, and thus the JTWC initiated issuing warnings at 1200 UTC, and designated it as Tropical Depression 27W whilst it was about 640 km (397.7 mi) to the east of Guam and moving towards the west. Early the next day the depression's centre passed about 100 km (62.1 mi) to the south of Guam and made its closest approach.
Micronesia
From December 8 to December 12, large sea swells up to 3 m (9.8 ft), generated by the extratropical cyclone that was to become Typhoon Dolphin and Tropical Disturbance 03F, affected many islands throughout Micronesia including Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The most affected areas included New Ireland, Bougainville, Manus
Manus Province
Manus Province is the smallest province in Papua New Guinea with a land area of 2,100 km², but with more than 220,000 km² of water. The capital of the province is Lorengau and the total population is 43,387 ....
, East Sepik
East Sepik
East Sepik is a province in Papua New Guinea. Its capital is Wewak. East Sepik has an estimated population of 343,180 people and is roughly 42,800 km square in size.-History:...
, Morobe
Morobe Province
Morobe Province is a province on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The provincial capital, and largest city, is Lae. The province covers 34,500 km², including 719 km² maritime area, with a population of 539,725...
, and West Sepik. The waves affected over 50 000 to 80 000 people with over 400 people left homeless after their homes were destroyed.
Guam and Rota
Late on December 10, as the JTWC reported that Tropical Depression 27W had formed, the National Weather ServiceNational Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
forecast office in Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
issued a tropical storm warning
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...
for Guam as tropical storm conditions were anticipated to impact the island within 24 hours. A tropical storm watch
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...
was also declared for Rota
Rota (island)
Rota also known as the "peaceful island", is the southernmost island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the second southernmost of the Marianas Archipelago. It lies approximately 40 miles north-northeast of the United States territory of Guam...
at this time as tropical storm-force winds were possibly going to affect Rota within 24 hours. Early the next day the tropical storm watch for Rota was cancelled followed by the tropical storm warning for Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
later that day as the depression was accelerating away from the Islands. The Guam Emergency Operations Center was partially activated and Guam Homeland Security and Office of Civil Defense personnel were on call in case they were needed. Residents were advised to bring in all holiday decorations that may become airborne and prepare their emergency disaster kits. Within Guam, flights in and out of Guam International Airport were not cancelled as winds did not exceed 90 km/h, (55 mph). The maximum reported rainfall amount was at Inarajan Handar which reported 2.05 inches of rainfall in the 48 hours starting on December 10 at 0100 UTC. Guam government officials reported that there was not much significant damage, with power outages around the island being sporadic which were primarily caused by falling trees and debris. There was also some minor flooding and beach erosion caused by storm tides.
M/Bca Mae Jan
The M/Bca Mae Jan was a cargo passenger ship which sank on December 14 due to rough seas caused by Typhoon Dolphin. The M/Bca Mae Jan was only licensed to carry 40 passengers and 10 members of crew; however, at the time of its sinking the M/Bca Mae Jan was carrying 97 people. Of the 98 people, 47 died and 7 were missing. Vessels operating in the area were asked to help in the search and rescue operation, whilst the Philippine coastguard directed three ships to perform aerial and surface searches.The Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council reported on December 17 that the local Government unit of Ballesteros, Cagayan
Ballesteros, Cagayan
Ballesteros is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 31,044 people in 2,270 households.-Barangays:Ballesteros is politically subdivided into 19 barangays....
had provided assistance worth 16,500 PHP
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
($352 2008 USD). Whilst the Department of Health-Center for Health Development had provided 27,203 PHP ($582 2008 USD) worth of assistance, in the form of drugs, fluids and medicines for the injured victims that were confined at the Ballesteros District Hospital. The Department of Social Welfare and Development provided cash and relief goods totalling up to 128,000 PHP ($2,740 2008 USD), The Department of Social Welfare and Development also propositioned standby funds of 255,000 PHP ($5,453 2008 USD).