Frequency and Intensity of Land-falling Tropical Cyclone During Different ENSO Phases in the Philippines

Abstract

The study was designed to discuss the relationship between the regular appearing differences in sea surface temperature and mean sea level pressure or known as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The anomaly values during different ENSO phases to landfalling Tropical Cyclones (TC) frequency and intensity in the Philippines which covered the period of 54 years from 1954 to 2008. This research aimed to fulfill the research gap between the several types of research conducted over the west coast of the United States and North Atlantic Ocean. A correlational research design was utilized to assess the relationship between the selected weather parameters of landfalling tropical cyclones (LTC) and ENSO phases in the Philippines. This research used the historical data of landfalling tropical cyclone on record from Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA). It was revealed that TC frequency has a slightly inverse relationship with TC intensity. This shows that there are other factors affecting the intensity of tropical cyclones formed over PAR, in that case, it is necessary to consider other meteorological factors and mechanisms that drive the formation and intensification in examining the interconnectivity between the sets of variables.