200 - Typhoon Committee

TCAR
Introduction
2007
Introduction
The Typhoon Committee Annual Review (TCAR) has
been published since 1985. From 1985 to 1994, the Royal
Observatory of Hong Kong provided a chief editor for
the preparation and publication of the annual review.
In 1995, the Typhoon Committee Secretariat (TCS) took
over the task of the publication of TCAR. The Typhoon
Committee, in its 39 th Session held in Manila, Philippines,
from 4 to 9 December 2006, appointed the Typhoon
Committee Secretary as the Chief Editor.
Chapter 1 provides an overview of the activities of the
Typhoon Committee in 2007. It contains detailed information
of its Members’ respective national programmes and
activities related to meteorology, hydrology, disaster
prevention and preparedness, training and research, as
well as the achievements of ESCAP and WMO related
to water resources management and disaster prevention
and preparedness. It also includes the technical and
administrative support provided by TCS and its activities
undertaken in 2007.
Chapter 2 includes a summary of the 24 tropical cyclones
with tropical storm intensity or higher, in 2007. A new
method of assigning Asian names to tropical cyclones
in the Western North Pacific and South China Sea was
implemented on 1 January 2000. Each tropical cyclone
is identified by a four-digit code assigned by the Japan
Meteorological Agency (JMA). In accordance with the
WMO Guide to Marine Meteorological Sciences (WMO-
No. 471) and WMO Manual on Marine Meteorological
Services (WMO-No. 558), the intensity of a tropical
cyclone is classified following the table below.
This chapter also includes the narrative accounts of
tropical cyclones in 2007 based on post analyses
submitted by Members. Each report includes an account
of the movement and intensity change of the tropical
cyclone. The extent of damage caused by the tropical
cyclone is documented as accurately as possible utilizing
available data supplied by the national editors.
Sustained winds as referred to are wind speeds
averaged over a period of 10 minutes. The velocity unit
of kilometers per hour (kph) is used for wind speed
as well as speed of movement of tropical cyclones
and other weather systems. The SI unit of hectoPascal
(hPa) is used for atmospheric pressure. Reference
times used in this Chapter are primarily in Coordinated
Universal Time (UTC). Whenever possible, station names
and numbers contained in WMO Weather Reporting-
Observing Stations (WMO-No. 9, Volume A) are used for
geographical references. Composite tracks and satellite
images of the tropical cyclones are provided as well.
Are also provided 00 UTC Sea Level Synoptic Analysis
Charts on the day, a day before and a day after peak
intensity was attained and upper air charts referring to
the day when maximum strength was reached.
Chapter 3 consists of 8 contributed papers, which were
presented at the 40 th TC session by ESCAP, Republic
of Korea, China, Japan, and Hong Kong. Chapter 4, the
final chapter, provides the 2007 activities of the WMO
Tropical Cyclone Programme.
The TCAR has been published through the joint support
of ESCAP and WMO. It would have not been made
possible without the contributions of the National Editors
of Members of the Typhoon Committee.
Special thanks to TCS staff Mr. Leong Kai Hong (Derek),
meteorologist, Mr. Liu Jinping, hydrologist and Ms.
Denise Lau, senior administrative secretary for assisting
in the editorial work and layout.
Chief Editor
November 2007, Macao
CLASSIFICATION
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS
Mps Knots Kph
(a) Tropical Depression up to 17.2 Up to 34 up to 62
(b) Tropical Storm 17.2 - 24.4 34 – 47 62 – 88
(c) Severe Tropical Storm 24.5 - 32.6 48 – 63 89 – 117
(d) Typhoon 32.7 or more 64 or more 118 or more
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