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Thursday, March 28, 2024
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HomeWhat’s in a name: LPA, tropical storm, or tropical depression? A tale...

What’s in a name: LPA, tropical storm, or tropical depression? A tale of storm classifications

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What’s in a name, that a storm when called by any other name would be as strong? Or not.

As the country is in the middle of typhoon season, we have heard of terms being thrown around: LPA, storm, typhoon, tropical depression. 

But what sets apart from the others?

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It is all about wind strength of the tropical cyclone (or simply cyclone).

First of, the World Meteorological Association says in its official website that tropical cyclone, or simply cyclone, is a blanket term for storms originating over tropical or sub-tropical waters with organized convection and definite cyclonic surface wind circulation.

A low pressure area, on the other hand, are regions were air pressures are lower.  When air pressure is lower than those of the surrounding region, it can cause cloudiness, winds, and precipitation.

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Tropical depression, on the other hand, is a tropical cyclone with the maximum sustained winds of 33 knots (17.1 m/s, 61 km/h) or less near the center.

A tropical storm meanwhile is a tropical cyclone with the maximum sustained winds of 34 knots or 62 km/h to 47 knots to 88 km/h near the center.

A severe tropical storm is a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 48 knots or 89 km/h to 63 knots or 117 km/h near the center.

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A typhoon is a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of between 64 knots or 118 km/h to 184 kph near the center.

Meanwhile, Philippine state weather bureau PAGASA says a tropical cyclone becomes classified as Super Typhoon when it has maximum wind speed exceeding 185 kph or more than 100 knots.

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Hannah A. Papasin
Hannah A. Papasinhttp://facebook.com/hannah.mariveles
Writer. Critic. Professor. She started writing since primary school and now has two published textbooks on communication. A film buff, she's a Communication, Media Literacy and Journalism Professor of the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, and has a Master's Degree in English.
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