2012 Pacific typhoon season

2012 Pacific typhoon season

Season summary map
First storm formed	January 13, 2012
Last storm dissipated	Season currently active
Strongest storm	Sanvu – 975 hPa (mbar), 110 km/h (70 mph) (10-minute sustained)
Tropical depressions	7
Total storms	3
Total fatalities	8
Total damage	Unknown
Pacific typhoon seasons 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

The 2012 Pacific typhoon season is an event in which tropical cyclones form in the Western Pacific Ocean. The season will run throughout 2012 with most tropical cyclones forming between May and November. The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean to the north of the equator between 100th meridian east and the 180th meridian. Within the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, there are two separate agencies who assign names to tropical cyclones which can often result in a cyclone having two names. The Japan Meteorological Agency will name a tropical cyclone should it be judged to have 10-minute sustained wind speeds of at least 65 km/h, (40 mph) anywhere in the basin. Whilst the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as a tropical depression in their area of responsibility located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°N-25°N even if the cyclone has had a name assigned to it by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Tropical depressions that are monitored by the United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center are given a number with a "W" suffix.

Seasonal forecasts

Each season several national meteorological services and scientific agencies forecast how many tropical cyclones, tropical storms, and typhoons will form during a season and/or how many tropical cyclones will affect a particular country.

Season summary

Storms

Tropical Depression

Tropical depression (JMA)
Duration	January 13 – January 14
Intensity	<55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min),  1006 mbar (hPa)

On January 13, the JMA upgraded a low pressure area to a tropical depression, east-northeast of Singapore. However, the depression quickly dissipated on January 14, due to the high wind shear. A few landslides have been reported when the storm dissipated over Malaysia, however no damage from it was reported.^{[citation needed]}

Tropical Depression 01W

Tropical depression (JMA)
Tropical depression (SSHS)
Duration	February 17 – February 21
Intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min),  1004 mbar (hPa)

On February 15, a tropical disturbance formed southwest of the Mariana Islands, as it drifted westwards to the Philippines, on February 16. After the system entered the South China Sea, on February 17, both the JMA and the JTWC upgraded the storm to a tropical depression, and the storm was given the identification 01W. On February 18, moderate vertical wind shear caused the system's low-level circulation center to become exposed. Late on February 19, convection from 01W came on shore in Vietnam. On February 21, Tropical Depression 01W dissipated to a remnant low, due to the strong vertical wind shear in its environment. Later on the same day, the remnants of 01W later made landfall over Vietnam, and dissipated.^{[citation needed]}

Three landslides have been reported cutting off townships in Visayas, and 4 deaths have also been reported in the past several days during the event, due to floods in the Philippines, associated with the moisture flow coming on shore from Tropical Depression 01W, during its time as a tropical disturbance.^[1]

Tropical Storm Pakhar

Tropical storm (JMA)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration	March 24 – April 2
Intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min),  998 mbar (hPa)

On March 17, a tropical disturbance formed northwest of Palau, and was located in an area of moderate vertical wind shear with unfavorable sea surface temperatures. Due to a high-pressure system extending into Vietnam, building up to the northeast of the system, the tropical disturbance slowly crossed the Visayas region and Palawan, during the next couple of days. On March 24, the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical depression, but downgraded it back to a tropical disturbance, on March 25, due to the collapsing outer rainbands, and the exposed low-level circulation center. Early on March 26, the JMA upgraded the tropical disturbance to a tropical depression again, because of low vertical wind shear and favorable sea surface temperatures, in the South China Sea, allowing the system to reorganize.

On March 28, the JTWC issued a TCFA on the tropical depression, as its LLCC began to consolidate more. Early on March 29, the JMA upgraded the tropical depression to a tropical storm, and named it Pakhar, because the storm's convection had completely wrapped around the circulation center. Early on March 30, the JTWC upgraded Pakhar to a Category 1 typhoon, as a banding eye formed. Because of land interaction and colder sea surface temperatures, the JTWC downgraded Pakhar to a tropical storm, early on March 31. On April 1, Pakhar made landfall near Vung Tau, Vietnam, and began to weaken. Early on April 2, the JMA downgraded Pakhar to a tropical depression, and later the NRL issued their final advisory on Pakhar, since Pahkar had weakened below tropical depression intensity. The remnant of Pahkar continued to linger over Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, for the next few days, with an exposed LLCC towards the end. On April 5, the remnant of Pahkar dissipated completely.

Pahkar did not make landfall in the Philippines. However, torrential rains and strong winds resulted in heavy traffic, in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.^[2] Flooding also occurred in different parts of central and southern Luzon, and the northern Visayas region. Landslides were also reported and caused flooding in some provinces. The NDRRMC reported that 2 people drowned, and other 2 people are reported as missing.^[3] In Bacolod City at noontime, on March 29 (Philippine Time), 5 cars were destroyed, couple of trees lining up along the streets laid to waste, and business establishments were damaged, near the University of St. La Salle. During the event, 23 people were injured, including one baby girl. Pahkar also spawned several tornadoes across the Vietnam.^[4]

Tropical Depression

Tropical depression (JMA)
Duration	April 8 – April 11
Intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min),  1004 mbar (hPa)

On April 4, a large cluster of thunderstorms, northwest of the Hawaiian Islands developed into a low-pressure area, which slowly drifted southwestwards. Later, the system developed a low-level circulation center. On April 6, the low-pressure area's LLCC became exposed, as the system entered a large area of moderate vertical wind shear, as the storm turned westward. Later, the system began showing subtropical characteristics, as it restrengthened. On April 8, the low-pressure area crossed the International Date Line, and entered the northwestern Pacific Ocean basin, prompting the JMA to upgrade the storm to a tropical depression. On April 10, wind shear eroded away most of the system's convection, which caused the storm to weaken. Late on April 11, the tropical depression was absorbed by a weather front northeast of Wake Island, prompting the JMA to issue their last advisory on the storm.

Tropical Depression

Tropical depression (JMA)
Duration	April 28 – April 30
Intensity	<55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min),  1008 mbar (hPa)

On April 23, a tropical disturbance formed southeast of Palau. The storm slowly began to moved westwards, as it strengthened. The storm's outer rainbands affected Palau, as the system curved to the south of the island. The system’s convention became significantly organized near Mindanao on April 28, prompting the JMA issuing their first advisory, later that day. On April 30, the tropical depression reached Mindanao, and brought torrential rains and wind. Due to land interaction with Mindanao, the tropical depression weakened into a weak low pressure area on April 30. The storm's remnants dissipated completely on May 1.

Severe Tropical Storm Sanvu

Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHS)
Duration	May 21 – May 28
Intensity	110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min),  975 mbar (hPa)

On May 17, a disturbance associated with a low-presure area, and the ITCZ formed southeast of Guam. Late on May 20, the JTWC issued a TCFA on the system because of improving equator-ward outflow. Early on May 21, the JMA upgraded the low-pressure area to a tropical depression, and the JTWC also upgraded the system to a tropical depression later. Early on May 22, the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm and named it Sanvu. Late on May 23, the JTWC upgraded Sanvu to a category 1 typhoon, for the system became compact and more organized as an eye was forming. After being upgraded to a severe tropical storm by the JMA late on May 24, Sanvu’s eye directly passed over Iwo Jima late on May 25. On May 26, strong vertical wind sheer and cool sea surface temperature caused weaker convection around Sanvu, and the eye began to dissipate. The JTWC downgraded Sanvu to a tropical storm late on May 26, followed by the JMA early on May 27, as the system’s low level circulation center started to became exposed. Sanvu became fully extratropical at 00Z on May 28.

Severe Tropical Storm Mawar (Ambo)

Mawar (Ambo) STS
Satellite image Storm track
Current storm status Severe tropical storm (JMA)
Current storm status Category 1 typhoon (1-min mean)
As of:	06:00 UTC June 2
Location:	17.1°N 124.1°E About 590 nmi (1,090 km; 680 mi) SSW of Okinawa, Japan
Winds:	55 knots (100 km/h; 65 mph) sustained (10-min mean) 65 knots (120 km/h; 75 mph) sustained (1-min mean) gusting to 80 knots (150 km/h; 90 mph)
Pressure:	985 hPa (29.09 inHg)
Movement:	NNW at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph)

On May 29, a tropical disturbance formed northwest of Palau. On May 30, the disturbance began moving northwestwards, as it slowly strengthened. On May 31, the system’s convention became significantly organized near Samar prompting the JTWC to issue a TCFA. Later that day, the PAGASA upgraded the low-pressure area to a tropical depression and assigned its local name Ambo, and the JTWC upgraded the disturbance into a tropical depression. On June 1, the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm and named it Mawar. On June 2, the JMA upgraded Mawar to a severe tropical storm, and the JTWC upgraded it to a category 1 typhoon.

Mawar brought torrential rain to parts of the Philippines including the Bicol Region while enhancing the southwest monsoon which triggered delays and cancelled of air flights. In Bicol region, more than 332 passengers were stranded at ports due to Mawar.^[5] Different domestic and international flights were forced to divert at Clark Air Base rather than NAIA due to bad weather. Some other flights were also cancelled.^[6][7]

Storm names

Within the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, there are two separate agencies who assign names to tropical cyclones which often results in a cyclone having two names. The Japan Meteorological Agency names tropical cyclones should they be judged to have 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 65 km/h, (40 mph), to the north of the equator between the 180° and 100°E. Whilst the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as a tropical depression in their area of responsibility located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°E-25°E even if the cyclone has had a name assigned to it by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Unused names are marked in gray.

International names

Tropical Cyclones are named from the following lists by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre in Tokyo, Japan, once they reach tropical storm strength.^[8] Names are contributed by members of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee. Each of the 14 nations or territories submitted 10 names, which are used in alphabetical order, by the English name of the country.^[9] The next 24 names on the naming list are listed here.

Philippines

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration uses its own naming scheme for tropical cyclones in their area of responsibility. PAGASA assigns names to tropical depressions that form within their area of responsibility and any tropical cyclone that might move into their area of responsibility. Should the list of names for a given year prove to be insufficient, names are taken from an auxiliary list, the first 10 of which are published each year before the season starts. The names not retired from this list will be used again in the 2016 season. This is the same list used in the 2008 season except for Frank which was retired. Names that were not assigned/going to use are marked in gray.^[10]

Season effects

This table lists all the storms that developed in the western Pacific Ocean to the west of the International Date Line during the 2012 season. It includes their intensity, duration, name, landfalls, deaths, and damages. All damage figures are in 2012 USD. Damages and deaths from a storm include when the storm was a precursor wave, or an extratropical low.

Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE)

The table on the right shows the ACE for each storm in the season. Broadly speaking, the ACE is a measure of the power of a typhoon multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong typhoons, have high ACEs. ACE is calculated for only full advisories on specifically tropical systems reaching or exceeding wind speeds of 34 knots (63 km/h, 39 mph), or tropical storm strength. Accordingly, tropical depressions are not included here. The ACE also does not include subtropical storms. Later the JMA reexamines the data, and produces a final report on each storm, which can lead to the ACE for a storm being revised either upward or downward. Until the final reports are issued, ACEs are, therefore, provisional.

See also

Tropical cyclones portal

• List of Pacific typhoon seasons
• 2012 Pacific hurricane season
• 2012 Atlantic hurricane season
• 2012 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
• South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2011-12
• Australian region cyclone seasons: 2011-12, 2012-13
• South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2011-12, 2012-13

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: 2012 Pacific typhoon season

• Japan Meteorological Agency
• China Meteorological Agency
• Digital Typhoon
• Hong Kong Observatory
• Joint Typhoon Warning Center
• Korea Meteorological Administration
• National Weather Service Guam
• Malaysian Meteorological Department
• Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
• Taiwan Central Weather Bureau
• TCWC Jakarta
• Thai Meteorological Department
• Typhoon2000
• Vietnam's National Hydro-Meterological Service

• v
• t
• e

Tropical cyclones of the 2012 Pacific typhoon season
TD 01W Pa TD TD Sa Ma		JMA scale TD TS STS TY

Book  · Category  · Portal  · WikiProject  · Commons