PAGASA

Analysis of Storm Surges in Manila Bay

Background      The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines storm surge as the abnormal rise in seawater level during a storm, measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted astronomical tide. The surge is caused primarily by storm winds pushing water onshore (NOAA, 2019). The amplitude of a storm surge is attributed to several factors…


Urgent Alert: “Climate Emergency”

The latest warning issued in early November 2019 by thousands of scientists from 153 countries about instituting measures that would effectively address Climate change speaks volumes in terms of human nature’s resistance to change. According to the scientists, Mother Earth “clearly and unequivocally faces a climate emergency.” She has registered faster than expected acceleration of global warming. This alert came…


The Trade Winds El Niño and La Niña

The Earth has five major wind zones: (1) polar easterlies, (2) westerlies, (3) horse latitudes, (4) trade winds, and (5) doldrums. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA): “Early commerce to the Americas relied on the trade winds —the prevailing easterly winds that circle the Earth near the equator. Known to sailors around the world, the trade winds…