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Typhoon Pabuk (2007)
Encyclopedia
Typhoon Pabuk was a weak typhoon that formed during the day of August 5, 2007. The system made landfall on Taiwan
on August 7, and on August 9 Pabuk passed to the south of Hong Kong
.
began monitoring a tropical depression 510 nmi
(945 km/h). The system continued to strengthen, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
on the system early the next day, noting that its environment was "strongly favorable for development". The Japan Meteorological Agency
designated the system Tropical Storm Pabuk shortly after. The JTWC designated the system Tropical Storm 07W at about the same time, and on August 5 PAGASA
named the system Chedeng. As Pabuk continued to move to the northwest, it gained some organisation as it slowly developed outflow
. It was upgraded by the JMA to a severe tropical storm on August 6. Moving westwards towards Taiwan
, an area of convection south of Pabuk separated and formed its own low-level circulation. Pabuk's upper-level outflow inhibited this new area of convection. Strengthening slightly, Pabuk was upgraded to a typhoon on the morning of August 7. The JTWC downgraded Pabuk to a tropical storm later that day, with the JMA downgrading Pabuk shortly before landfall. It made landfall in southern Taiwan
around 1630 UTC according to Taiwan radar and crossed the southern tip of the Hengchun
Peninsula in Pingtung County
. The JTWC re-upgraded Pabuk to a typhoon at its next advisory, however, citing a small eye at landfall, before downgrading it to a tropical storm again three hours later.
After passing over Taiwan, Pabuk took aim at Hong Kong
. On August 9 as the system passed to the south of Hong Kong JMA downgraded the storm to a tropical depression later that day and issued its final public advisory, with the JTWC following suit shortly after. The tropical depression then turned back to the east-northeast on August 10, intensifying while taking aim at Hong Kong. It skirted to the west of Hong Kong and dissipated while heading northeast into the mainland.
The Hong Kong Observatory
(HKO) and Macau's Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau both hoisted strong wind signal 3
on August 9 as the system passed to the south of Hong Kong, they were canceled later. On August 10 the signals were re-issued as the tropical storm looped and turned northeast. The HKO also warned that winds were expected to strengthen further locally, and that the Hong Kong Education Bureau had suspended all classes for the day. The HKO , while upgrading Pabuk to a tropical storm issued a gale/storm warning signal 8 at 2:30 p.m. HKT
(0630 UTC) later that day as Pabuk began to move closer to the territory. This was replaced by signal 3 later while Pabuk took another turn in direction and headed west inland into Guangdong
. Early next morning, Pabuk resumed a northeasterly track, edging once again closer to the Pearl River Delta before it weakened further and HKO cancelled all signals.
rains over the northern Philippines, causing numerous landslides. In the mining town of Maco
in Compostela Valley
, seven houses were buried under mud, leaving ten people dead. Farther north, another person, a young boy, was killed by a landslide. The streets of Manila
were flooded by rains which left low-lying areas under neck-deep waters. The rains also led to the collapse of a concrete wall, burying five children. Firefighters quickly rushed to the building and pulled the children out, all of them only sustained minor injuries. After Pabuk struck Taiwan, another storm, Tropical Storm Wutip, brought more rains to the Philippines. The combined fatalities from the two storms totaled to 15, left one person missing, and injured ten others. About 1.2 million people were affected by the two storms and damages were estimated at $6.8 million (2007 USD
).
Despite being a typhoon upon making landfall near Eluanbi
in southern Taiwan
, Pabuk caused little damage. Near where the typhoon made landfall, weather radar
estimated that the area received rainfall in excess of 305 mm (12 in). The heavy rains helped alleviate severe drought conditions which had persisted in southern Taiwan for several months. At its peak, 60,000 residences were without power. No fatalities were caused by the storm and only $200,000 (2007 USD) was left in farm damages.
. Zhanjiang
, near the island of Hainan
, recorded a 24 hour rainfall measurement of 739 mm
(29.1 in
), higher than any other single day event in the past 200 years. Numerous stretches of highways and railways were damaged by the floods that followed. Several trains were cancelled due to the washed out tracks. Two dams reached record water levels and five dams reached the water danger mark. The Dawan Reservoir nearly overflowed, but workers dug canals around it to release the excess water in a controlled manner. A storm surge
of 0.45 m
(1.47 ft) was recorded in Hong Kong. On August 11, during the storms second pass by Hong Kong, a 66 kt (122 km/h) wind gust was recorded at 11:16 UTC
, despite Pabuk only being a tropical depression. Despite the torrential rains, there were no reports of any fatalities associated with the storm. The storm left 64,200 people homeless, affected over 1.1 million, and about 4,200 homes were destroyed. Damages from Pabuk were estimated at $220 million (2007 USD).
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
on August 7, and on August 9 Pabuk passed to the south of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
Meteorological history
On August 4, 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...
began monitoring a tropical depression 510 nmi
Nautical mile
The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...
(945 km/h). The system continued to strengthen, and 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...
issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert is a bulletin released by the U.S. Navy-operated Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii or the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Norfolk, Virginia, warning of the possibility of a tropical cyclone forming from a tropical disturbance that has been...
on the system early the next day, noting that its environment was "strongly favorable for development". The Japan Meteorological Agency
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...
designated the system Tropical Storm Pabuk shortly after. The JTWC designated the system Tropical Storm 07W at about the same time, and on August 5 PAGASA
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide flood and typhoon warnings, public weather forecasts and advisories, meteorological, astronomical, climatological, and other specialized information and...
named the system Chedeng. As Pabuk continued to move to the northwest, it gained some organisation as it slowly developed outflow
Outflow (meteorology)
Outflow, in meteorology, is air that flows outwards from a storm system. It is associated with ridging, or anticyclonic flow. In the low levels of the troposphere, outflow radiates from thunderstorms in the form of a wedge of rain-cooled air, which is visible as a thin rope-like cloud on weather...
. It was upgraded by the JMA to a severe tropical storm on August 6. Moving westwards towards Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, an area of convection south of Pabuk separated and formed its own low-level circulation. Pabuk's upper-level outflow inhibited this new area of convection. Strengthening slightly, Pabuk was upgraded to a typhoon on the morning of August 7. The JTWC downgraded Pabuk to a tropical storm later that day, with the JMA downgrading Pabuk shortly before landfall. It made landfall in southern Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
around 1630 UTC according to Taiwan radar and crossed the southern tip of the Hengchun
Hengchun
Hengchun of Pingtung County is the southernmost township in Taiwan. Hengchun is also the only urban township in the southern part of Pingtung County. Hengchun has a land area of 136.7630 square kilometers and has a population of 31,123 as of August 2009....
Peninsula in Pingtung County
Pingtung County
Pingtung County is a county in Southern Taiwan. Pingtung County is officially administered as a county of the Republic of China . The oldest national park in Taiwan, Kenting National Park, was established in Pingtung County in 1984...
. The JTWC re-upgraded Pabuk to a typhoon at its next advisory, however, citing a small eye at landfall, before downgrading it to a tropical storm again three hours later.
After passing over Taiwan, Pabuk took aim at Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. On August 9 as the system passed to the south of Hong Kong JMA downgraded the storm to a tropical depression later that day and issued its final public advisory, with the JTWC following suit shortly after. The tropical depression then turned back to the east-northeast on August 10, intensifying while taking aim at Hong Kong. It skirted to the west of Hong Kong and dissipated while heading northeast into the mainland.
Philippines and Taiwan
Authorities in Manila closed all schools and government offices on August 8 as the outer bands of Pabuk triggered deadly flooding and landslides. On August 7, Taiwanese authorities issued land and sea warnings for most of the island as Typhoon Pabuk was expected to make landfall the following day. Government officials in Taiwan stockpiled nearly 6,000 sandbags to quickly respond to any flood disasters and clean up crews were rushed into cities to clear gutters and storm drains in advance of heavy rain. Shopkeepers were advised not to tighten billboards to avoid harming others.China
As Pabuk made landfall in southern Taiwan on August 8, Chinese officials evacuated an estimated 20,000 residents from coastal areas in Fujian Province. Roughly 6,700 vessels were also called back to port in anticipation of rough seas. An estimated 1.7 million text messages were also sent out to inform the public about the storm.The Hong Kong Observatory
Hong Kong Observatory
Hong Kong Observatory is a department of the Hong Kong government. The Observatory forecasts weather and issues warnings on weather-related hazards...
(HKO) and Macau's Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau both hoisted strong wind signal 3
Hong Kong Tropical Cyclone Warning Signals
The Hong Kong tropical cyclone warning signals or informally typhoon signals are a set of signals used to indicate the threat or effects of a tropical cyclone. The Hong Kong Observatory issues the warning signal if a tropical cyclone is centred within of Hong Kong and may affect Hong Kong later...
on August 9 as the system passed to the south of Hong Kong, they were canceled later. On August 10 the signals were re-issued as the tropical storm looped and turned northeast. The HKO also warned that winds were expected to strengthen further locally, and that the Hong Kong Education Bureau had suspended all classes for the day. The HKO , while upgrading Pabuk to a tropical storm issued a gale/storm warning signal 8 at 2:30 p.m. HKT
Hong Kong Time
Hong Kong Time is the time in Hong Kong, observed at UTC+8 all year round. The Hong Kong Observatory is the official timekeeper of the Hong Kong Time.-Time standards:...
(0630 UTC) later that day as Pabuk began to move closer to the territory. This was replaced by signal 3 later while Pabuk took another turn in direction and headed west inland into Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
. Early next morning, Pabuk resumed a northeasterly track, edging once again closer to the Pearl River Delta before it weakened further and HKO cancelled all signals.
Impact
Philippines and Taiwan
As Pabuk neared Taiwan, the outer rainbands from the storm triggered monsoonMonsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
rains over the northern Philippines, causing numerous landslides. In the mining town of Maco
Maco, Compostela Valley
Maco is a 1st class municipality in the province of Compostela Valley, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 65,181 people in 13,090 households.-Barangays:Maco is politically subdivided into 37 barangays....
in Compostela Valley
Compostela Valley
Compostela Valley is a province of the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. The province, called Comval for short, used to be part of Davao del Norte until it was made independent in 1998. It is the third newest province of the Philippines, behind Dinagat Islands and Zamboanga...
, seven houses were buried under mud, leaving ten people dead. Farther north, another person, a young boy, was killed by a landslide. The streets of Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
were flooded by rains which left low-lying areas under neck-deep waters. The rains also led to the collapse of a concrete wall, burying five children. Firefighters quickly rushed to the building and pulled the children out, all of them only sustained minor injuries. After Pabuk struck Taiwan, another storm, Tropical Storm Wutip, brought more rains to the Philippines. The combined fatalities from the two storms totaled to 15, left one person missing, and injured ten others. About 1.2 million people were affected by the two storms and damages were estimated at $6.8 million (2007 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
).
Despite being a typhoon upon making landfall near Eluanbi
Eluanbi
Cape Eluanbi is located in Hengchun township, Pingtung county, on the southernmost end of the Taiwan Central Mountain Range. It is also known as Ngoluanpi. Facing the Luzon Strait, it is the southernmost cape of Taiwan. The name Gô-lôan derives from Goran, as means "Sail" coming from Paiwan...
in southern Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Pabuk caused little damage. Near where the typhoon made landfall, weather radar
Weather radar
Weather radar, also called weather surveillance radar and Doppler weather radar, is a type of radar used to locate precipitation, calculate its motion, estimate its type . Modern weather radars are mostly pulse-Doppler radars, capable of detecting the motion of rain droplets in addition to the...
estimated that the area received rainfall in excess of 305 mm (12 in). The heavy rains helped alleviate severe drought conditions which had persisted in southern Taiwan for several months. At its peak, 60,000 residences were without power. No fatalities were caused by the storm and only $200,000 (2007 USD) was left in farm damages.
China
Record setting rains fell in southern China as Pabuk stalled near Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Zhanjiang
Zhanjiang
Zhanjiang , formerly known as Tsamkong, Tsankiang, Fort-Bayard, and Kwang-Chou-Wan, is a prefecture-level city at the southwestern end of Guangdong province of Southern China, facing the island of Hainan to the south....
, near the island of Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
, recorded a 24 hour rainfall measurement of 739 mm
Millimetre
The millimetre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousandth of a metre, which is the SI base unit of length....
(29.1 in
Inch
An inch is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customary units. There are 36 inches in a yard and 12 inches in a foot...
), higher than any other single day event in the past 200 years. Numerous stretches of highways and railways were damaged by the floods that followed. Several trains were cancelled due to the washed out tracks. Two dams reached record water levels and five dams reached the water danger mark. The Dawan Reservoir nearly overflowed, but workers dug canals around it to release the excess water in a controlled manner. A storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
of 0.45 m
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
(1.47 ft) was recorded in Hong Kong. On August 11, during the storms second pass by Hong Kong, a 66 kt (122 km/h) wind gust was recorded at 11:16 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
, despite Pabuk only being a tropical depression. Despite the torrential rains, there were no reports of any fatalities associated with the storm. The storm left 64,200 people homeless, affected over 1.1 million, and about 4,200 homes were destroyed. Damages from Pabuk were estimated at $220 million (2007 USD).
See also
- List of Pacific typhoon seasons
- 2007 Pacific typhoon season2007 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 2007 Pacific typhoon season was a below average season which featured 24 named storms and 14 typhoons, compared to the average of 27 and 17 respectively. had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2007, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and...
- Timeline of the 2007 Pacific typhoon seasonTimeline of the 2007 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 2007 Pacific typhoon season had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2007, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November...
External links
- Typhoon2000 Philippine typhoon website
- Joint Typhoon Warning Center
- Meaning of typhoon names (JMA)
- Japan Meteorological Agency - Tropical Cyclone Information (日本語)
- Digital Typhoon - Typhoon Images and Information
- PAGASA - Tropical Cyclone Information for the Philippines
- Tropical Cyclone Information issued by Hong Kong
- Tropical Cyclone Information issued by Taiwan