MEANING AND DESCRIPTION OF THE MODIFIED PUBLIC STORM SIGNALS


Public Storm Signal No. 1 Meteorological Condition:

-      A tropical cyclone will affect the locality

-      Wind of 30-60 KPH may be expected in at least 36 hours.

       Impacts of the Winds:

-      Twigs and branches of small trees may be broken.

-Some banana plants may tilt or land flat on the ground

-      Some houses of very light material (nip and cogon) may be partially unroofed

-      Very light or no damage at all may be unstained by the exposed communities.

-      Rice in flowering stage may suffer significant damage.

Precautionary Measure:

       People are advised to listen to the latest Severe Weather Bulletin issued by PAGASA every six hours. Business may be carried out as usual. When the tropical cyclone is strong, intensifying or is moving close, this signal may be gradually increases. Disaster preparedness is activated to alert status.

Public Storm Signal No. 2

Meteorological Conditions:

-      A moderate tropical cyclone will affect the locality

-      Winds of greater than 60 KPH and up to 100KPH may be expected in at least 24hours Impacts of the Winds:

-      Some coconuts trees may be tilted with few others broken

-      Few big trees may be uprooted.

-      Many banana plants may be destroyed

-      Rice may be adversely affected

-      Large number of nipa and cogon houses may be partially or totally unroofed

-Light to moderate damage to palay in flowering stage. Precautionary Measure:

-      The sea and coastal water are dangerous to smaller seacraft. Fishermen are adbised not to go out to sea.

-      Avoid unnecessary risks. Travelling by sea or air is risky.

-      Stay indoors.

-      Secure Properties.

       Special attention should be given to the latest position, direction and speed movement and intensity of the tropical cyclone as it may intensify and move towards the locality. Disaster preparedness agencies and other organizations are alerted.

Public Storm Signal No.3

Meteorological Conditions:

-      A strong tropical cyclone will affect the locality.

-      Winder greater than 199KPH up to 185 KPH may be expected in at least 18 hours Impacts of the Winds:

-      almost all banana plants may be destroyed and a large number of trees amy be uprooted

-Rice and corn crops may suffer heavy damage

-Majority of nipa and cogon houses may be unroofed or destroyed and there may be considerable damage to structure of light to medium construction

-      There may be widespread disruption of electrical power and communication services

-In general, moderate to heavy damage may be expected in both the agricultural and industrial sectors.

 

-Travel by sea and by air is very risky.

-      Sea and coastal water will be dangerous to all sea crafts Precautionary Measure:

-      People are advised to evacuate and stay in strong buildings

-      Evacuate low lying areas.

-      Stay away from coasts and river banks

-      Watch out for the passage of the “EYE” of the typhoon

-      During the passage of the “eye” do not venture away from the safety of the shelter

-      Suspend classes in all levels and make sure children stay in the safety of strong buildings

The disturbance is dangerous to threatened or affected communities. The passage of the “eye” of the typhoon is indicated sudden change from bad to fair weather. Fair weather ,ay last for one or two hours after which the worst weather will resume with very strong winds generally coming from the opposite direction. Disaster preparedness and response agencies/organizations are activated to respond appropriately.

Public Storm Signal no.4

Meteorological Conditions:

-      A very intense typhoon will affect the locality

-      Very strong winds of more than 185 KPH may be expected in at least 12 hours Impact of the Winds:

-      Coconut plantations may suffer extensive damage

-      Many large trees may be uprooted

-      Rice and corn plantations may suffer severe damage

-      Most residential and institutional building of mixed construction may be severely damaged

-      Electrical power distribution and communications services may be disrupted

-      Damage to affected communities can be very heavy Precautionary Measures:

-      Cancel all travel and other outdoor activities

-      Stay in the safety of houses or evacuation center

 

       The situation is potentially very destructive to the community. Disaster coordinating councils concerned and other disaster response organization must respond to emergencies very intense typhoon. The description of each signal is enhanced with the addition of statements pertaining to the perceived degree of associated damage based on typhoon passage surveys and empirical analysis

 

THE NEW PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST

       In its continuing effort for enhance service delivery to the public, PAGASA recently modified the Public Weather Forecast. In lime with this, it has set new guidelines for its issuance to sustain the improvement of weather forecasting services.

 

       Under the modified weather forecast, a brief statement of the synoptic situation that may influence the weather during the forecast period is included.

 

       IT still contains the weather conditions, as mit normally had the in the past, expected in different areas of the country like Metro Manila, Bauio City, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao.


ECLIPSE

       Eclipses are due to the revolution of the moon around the earth and the revolution of the earth around the sun, While the strong influence of the moon upon the earth’s water sphere produces tides.

       Solar Eclipse happens when the moon passes directly between the sun and the earth, the moon casts a shadow onearth. It happens during day time and during new moon.

Perigee is the period when the moon must be at, or very near so that the darkest part of its shadow will touch the earth.

 

Apogee is the period when the moon is very far from the earth

Lunar eclipse occurs when the earth happens to be in the same line as the sun and the moon, then the earth casts a shadow on the surface of the moon. It happens at night time and during full moon. If the moon is covered by the earth umba, a total lunar eclipse occurs. If the moon gets within the earths penumbra partial lunar eclipse occurs.

 

TIDES

       Tides are the effects of the rise and fall of the ocean level due to the strong influence of the moon upon the earths water sphere.

       During The new moon and the full moon every month, the sun, the earth and the moon are in line with one another. The tidal effects during such time are much stronger because the gravitational pulls of the sun and the moon are combined. This is the time when spring tide occurs. While a neap tide occurs when the high tides do not go up very high and the low rides do not go down very low.

 

THE SOLAR SYSTEM

       The sun and all the other bodies held by its gravitational pull including the nine know planets make up the solar system

Sun

       The sun is a huge ball of hot gases 148,800,800 kilometers away from the earth it is the center of the solar system.

Planets

       There are nine known planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus , Earth, Mars , Jupiter , Saturn, Neptune and Pluto. Among the other planets the earth is the only one that can sustain life because of the presence of oxygen in its atmosphere.

Other Celestial Bodies

Planetoids or asteroid are the tiny celestial bodies found between the orbits of mars and Jupiter

Comets are celestial bodies composed of rocks and frozen gases and having very eccentric orbits.

Example:

Halley comet- it has a “head” of burning gases believed to surrounding some loose rock fragments.

Hyakutakes comet – scheduled to pass within 15 million kilometers of earth. Meteors are rock like particles in space. They are the smallest member of the solar system.

Meteorite is a meteor which actually strikes the earth surface.

Galaxy is a huge congregation of billions of stars.


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