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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Disasters & Emergencies

Typhoon upgraded before naming: Zheng Ming-dian reveals the reason

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a typhoon, designated number 12, but was initially un-named.
  • Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded its intensity due to its potential impact, while Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) had not yet named it.
  • This situation, where a storm is intensified but not named, has occurred previously, notably with Typhoon Merbok in 2016 and Typhoon Mekkhala in 2020.

A tropical depression located east of the Philippines intensified into a typhoon on Thursday night, receiving the designation number 12. However, it was initially referred to as 'UNNAMED, NONAME' by Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA).

According to meteorological experts, this occurred because the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), which is responsible for naming typhoons in the region, had not yet assigned a name. The CWA decided to upgrade the storm's intensity because it was observed to have reached typhoon strength and was expected to enter Taiwan's maritime warning zone soon. The typhoon is expected to be officially named 'Hongxia' once confirmed by the JMA.

The World Meteorological Organization has entrusted the Japan Meteorological Agency with naming, and Taiwan does not name typhoons itself. So before the Japan Meteorological Agency names it, if the tropical depression is strong enough and may affect Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration will upgrade its intensity but not give it a name, using 'unnamed' in Chinese and 'NONAME' in English to refer to the typhoon!

— Zheng Ming-dianExplaining the protocol for typhoon naming and Taiwan's role.

Former CWA director Zheng Ming-dian explained that Taiwan does not name typhoons independently; this task is entrusted to the JMA by the World Meteorological Organization. Therefore, when a tropical depression reaches sufficient intensity and poses a potential threat to Taiwan before the JMA assigns a name, the CWA will elevate its classification but use 'unnamed' or 'NONAME' in its advisories.

This practice, while uncommon, is not unprecedented. Zheng Ming-dian noted that similar situations have occurred before, and the popular weather fan page 'Taiwan Typhoon Forum | Weather Express' also recalled the 2016 Typhoon Merbok and the 2020 Typhoon Mekkhala as instances where a storm was intensified without an immediate name.

The situation of 'unnamed' typhoons has happened before, but not many times!

— Zheng Ming-dianCommenting on the rarity of the event.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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