Typhoon Rammasun (2008)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Typhoon Rammasun
Type=Typhoon
Year=2008
Basin=WPac
Image location =Rammasun 11 may 2008 0155Z.jpg


Formed=May 7, 2008
Dissipated= May 13, 2008
1-min winds=135
10-min winds=105
Pressure=915
Da

Inflated=
Fatalities=None (40 injured)
Areas= Philippines, Japan
Hurricane season=2008 Pacific Typhoon Season

Typhoon Rammasun (International designation: 0802, JTWC designation: 03W, PAGASA name: Butchoy) was the second Typhoon and the first JTWC super typhoon of the 2008 Pacific typhoon season. Rammasun was a super typhoon that formed on May 7. Even though Rammasun never made land it caused minor damage, which was caused mainly by a outer band that extended down into a tail and affected the Philippines. Japan was also affected by the extratropical remnants of the storm.

The name "Rammasun" was submitted to the World Meteorological Organisation's Typhoon Committee by Thailand, and means "God of Thunder".cite web|url=http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/jma-center/rsmc-hp-pub-eg/tyname.html|title=Names of Tropical Cyclones|publisher=Japan Meteorological Agency|accessdate=2008-04-20]

Meteorological history

Early on May 7 PAGASA designated an area of low pressure which was located to the east of Mindanao as Tropical Depression Butchoy. [cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5XdCVLzNL |title=PAGASA TY Butchoy Advisory 1|accessdate=2008-06-22] Around the same time the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) also designated the area of low pressure as a Tropical depression with the JTWC assigning the number 03W to the depression. [cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5XdHqSqvh|title=JMA Advisory 07-05-2008|accessdate = 2008-06-22] cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/GuamStuff/2008050709-WTPN.PGTW|publisher=JTWC|title=JTWC STY 03W Advisory 1|accessdate=2008-08-17]

Later that day the depression intenisfied into a tropical storm and was named Rammasun by the Japan Meteorological Agency. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5Xe2RCOx2|publisher=JMA|title=JMA Advisory 07-05-2008 18Z|accessdate=2008-08-17] the next day as the Rammussun was intensifying the JMA designated it as a severe tropical storm and then was designated as a typhoon by the JTWC later that day. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5XfX2S6cN|publisher=JMA|title=JMA Advisory 08-05-2008 18Z|accessdate=2008-08-17] cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/GuamStuff/2008050903-WDPN.PGTW|publisher=JTWC|title=JTWC STY 03W Advisory 8|accessdate=2008-08-17]

The JMA upgraded Rammasun to a typhoon early on May 9. The next day Rammasun rapidly intenisfed into a category 4-equivalent typhoon and then into a super typhoon later that day. Rammasun then continued on a northerly path, and reached a peak of convert|105|kn|km/h and 915 hPa on May 10. [cite web|url = http://www.webcitation.org/5XiDxzNWj |title = WebCite query result |accessdate = 2008-06-22]

Soon after it reached its peak, the typhoon began to slowly weaken. The JTWC downgraded it to a typhoon on May 11. [ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/GuamStuff/2008051109-WTPN.PGTW] On May 12, the weakening became more rapid, with the JMA downgrading the system to a severe tropical storm, [cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5XldvfFqS |title = WebCite query result|accessdate=2008-06-22] while the JTWC issued its last advisory, noting that it was extratropical. [ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/GuamStuff/2008051221-WTPN.PGTW] The JMA, however, held onto Rammasun until early on May 13, when it downgraded the cyclone to a low and issued its final advisory. [cite web|url = http://www.webcitation.org/5XmO7zOpC |title = WebCite query result |accessdate = 2008-06-22] Though it never hit land, it was the third strongest May typhoon in recorded history, behind Damrey of 2000 and Phyllis in 1958.Fact|date=May 2008

Impact

Typhoon Rammasun caused very little damage.

Japan

Rammasun brushed the Japanese coastline as it became extratropical on May 13 delivering strong winds and high waves. Along with moderate to heavy rain, winds gusted up to 52 mph (83 kph) as the storm moved out to sea.cite web|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5itV9lAV9iBwHimZqQWpkrhucCNQA|title=Typhoon downgraded as it passes by Japan|publisher=Tokyo (AFP)|accessdate=2008-05-13]

Philippines

A strong storm from the "tail" of Rammasun struck the Philippines as it passed south of Japan. The winds brought by the storm caused severe damage to some buildings and numerous amounts of trees some weighing tonnes were uprooted. The damage may have been due to a possible tornado but there is no clarification for this possibility. At least 40 people were injured and damage totaled to 11 million PHP ($280,000 USD). [cite web|url = http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/15/nation/21251820&sec=nation |title = Typhoon ‘tail’ leaves trail of destruction in Sarawak |accessdate = 2008-06-22] [cite web|url = http://www.gmanews.tv/story/96196/Typhoon-Butchoy-destroys-P11M-in-agriculture-in-W-Visayas |title = GMANews.TV - Typhoon Butchoy destroys P11M in agriculture in W. Visayas - Nation - Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs - Latest Philippine News - BETA |accessdate = 2008-06-22]

ee also

* List of Pacific typhoon seasons
* 2008 Pacific hurricane season
* 2008 Atlantic hurricane season
* 2008 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
* South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2007-08, 2008-09
* Australian region cyclone seasons: 2007-08, 2008-09
* South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2007-08, 2008-09

References

External links

* [http://www.typhoon2000.ph Typhoon2000 Philippine typhoon website]
* [https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc.html Joint Typhoon Warning Center]
* [http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/jma-center/rsmc-hp-pub-eg/tyname.html Meaning of typhoon names (JMA)]
* [http://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/ Japan Meteorological Agency - Tropical Cyclone Information] [http://www.jma.go.jp/jp/typh/ (日本語)]
* [http://agora.ex.nii.ac.jp/digital-typhoon/ Digital Typhoon - Typhoon Images and Information]
* [http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/ PAGASA - Tropical Cyclone Information for the Philippines]
* [http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/currwx/tc_pos.htm Tropical Cyclone Information issued by Hong Kong]
* [http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V5e/forecast/typhoon/Data/PTA/TyphAll_Eng.htm Tropical Cyclone Information issued by Taiwan]