Chapter 20: Problem 19

A typhoon is moving due west and is approaching the east coast of Asia. Weather forecasters have predicted where the eye of the storm will make landfall in the middle of a narrow, north-south-trending island. People in the path of the storm have been told to evacuate but cannot head inland because they are on a narrow island. To escape the highest winds, should they move to the north or to the south of the eye?

Short Answer

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People should move to the south of the eye of the storm to escape the highest winds, as the front right quadrant of the storm's movement has the highest wind speeds when moving westward in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres due to the Coriolis effect.

Step by step solution

Understand the path of the typhoon

A typhoon is a large tropical storm that develops in the Western Pacific Ocean and moves generally westward towards Asia. The direction of the typhoon is crucial in determining the regions with the highest wind speeds.

Determine the circulation pattern in typhoons

Typhoons rotate counter-clockwise in the Northern hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect. In both cases, the highest wind speeds are found in the front right quadrant of the storm's movement, meaning they would be found on the north side of the storm if it's moving westward in both hemispheres.

Determine the location to escape highest winds

Since the typhoon is moving due west towards a north-south trending island, the highest winds will be found on the north side of the storm. Therefore, people should move to the south of the eye of the storm to escape the highest winds and minimize the risk to their safety.

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Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand the path of the typhoon

Determine the circulation pattern in typhoons

Determine the location to escape highest winds

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