Remove ads
Severe Tropical Storm Ma-on, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Florita, was a tropical cyclone that impacted the Philippines in August 2022. The ninth named storm of the 2022 Pacific typhoon season, Ma-on originated as a disturbance over in the Pacific Ocean on August 18, and was upgraded to a tropical depression during the next day. The depression strengthened into a tropical storm receiving the name Ma-on, and became a severe tropical storm late on August 23 before making landfall in the Philippines. It would later make landfall in China and Vietnam on August 25. Ma-on weakened back to a tropical depression and due to unfavorable conditions it dissipated on August 26, 2022.
 Severe Tropical Storm Ma-on at peak intensity on August 24 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 20, 2022 |
| Dissipated | August 26, 2022 |
| Severe tropical storm | |
| 10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
| Highest winds | 100 km/h (65 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 980 hPa (mbar); 28.94 inHg |
| Category 1-equivalent typhoon | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 984 hPa (mbar); 29.06 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 7 |
| Damage | $66.6 million (2022 USD) |
| Areas affected | Philippines, China, Vietnam, Laos |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2022 Pacific typhoon season | |
The storm caused moderate damage in the Philippines, China and Vietnam.
Remove ads
Map key
Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Storm type
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionA disturbance that would eventually become Severe Tropical Storm Ma-on was first noted by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) on August 18, while it was located about 910 km (565 mi) southeast of Taipei, Taiwan.[1] Deep convection associated with the disturbance strong low level persisted.[2] Favourable environment for further development, being offset by warm sea surface temperatures of around 29–30 °C (84–86 °F).[3] During August 19, the Japan Meteorological Agency began tracking a low pressure in the Philippine Sea.[4] The system moved westwards, eventually developing into a tropical depression on August 20.[5] The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) began tracking the system, giving the local name Florita on August 21.[6]
On the same day, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) for the system.[7] Shortly afterwards, the JTWC designated the system as 10W.[8] Satellite imagery indicated that it had formative bands with a low-level circulation center (LLCC).[9] By August 22, the JMA classified the system as a tropical storm and named the storm Ma-on.[10] Later on, the JTWC and PAGASA also upgraded the system into a tropical storm.[11][12] Ma-on began to moved slowly, under the influence of a subtropical ridge off the coast of Luzon.[13] At 18:00 UTC, the JMA upgraded Ma-on to severe tropical storm status.[14] The PAGASA reported that the system intensified into a severe tropical storm on August 23.[15]
At that time, multispectral animated satellite imagery revealed a symmetrical central convection.[16] Ma-on made landfall over Maconacon in the province of Isabela around 10:30 (PHT) (02:30 UTC).[17] The system continued consolidating which allowed it to organized a small microwave eye.[18] Traversing the Luzon Islands before it emerged over the coastal of Ilocos Norte.[19][20][21] Ma-on exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 05:00 PHT August 24 (21:00 UTC August 23).[22] Upper-Level near the storm's center struggled to organize due to moderate to strong east-northeasterly shear.[23] An Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) pass indicated that the storm was along the southern of the system.[24] Ma-on moved west-northwest and subsequently made second landfall just southwest of Yangjiang, China on August 25.[25] Shortly after the landfall, the JTWC discontinued warnings on the system.[25] Ma-on later become unfavorable of its intensity.[26] As a result, the JMA downgraded the system to a tropical storm at 06:00 UTC that day.[27] Ma-on moved west to the Gulf of Tonkin, and made third and final landfall in Móng Cái City, Quảng Ninh Province in Vietnam on 13:00 UTC.[28] After that, JMA declared that Ma-on weakened to a tropical depression, until it was last noted in Northern Vietnam on August 26.[29][30]
Remove ads
Philippines
Ahead of the storm's arrival, PAGASA placed the provinces of Aurora, Isabela and Cagayan under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) #1 on August 21, 2022.[31] During the next day, PAGASA raised TCWS #2[12] before TCWS #3 was ultimately issued and extended to include other parts of Luzon on August 23.[15] President Bongbong Marcos suspended classes and government work in some areas in Luzon on August 23 and 24 just one day after the opening of full face-to-face classes, two years since the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines prompted schools to shift to distance or online learning.[32][33]
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that 16,654 food packs had been prepared.[34] In Isabela, heavy rains brought by the storm caused four overflow bridges to be impassable.[35] In Cagayan, 10,608 hectares of rice and corn farms were destroyed.[36] In Pampanga, 39 barangays were flooded.[37] In Cordillera, 1,882 search and rescue cop teams were placed on standby.[38]
Power outages were reported in Northern Luzon.[39] Flights from Manila to Bicol were cancelled due to inclement weather.[40] The Philippine Army conducted disaster response operations.[41] The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deployed 11 aluminum boats in Marikina City.[42] According to the BJMP, 740 inmates were evacuated.[43] The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority temporarily suspended their number coding scheme.[44]
The NDRRMC reported 17,510 affected people, 4,330 were displaced.[45] At least 4 people were dead,[46] and another 4 were injured.[45] Infrastructure damage was estimated to be ₱571 million (US$10.4 million), while agricultural damage was estimated to be ₱1.86 billion (US$33.6 million).[45][47]
Vietnam
In Vietnam, Ma-on caused multiple flooded and uprooted trees.[48] 135,000 were planned to evacuate.[49] Ma-on brought heavy rains; Dong Trieu received 76.8 mm (3.02 in) and at least 164 mm (6.5 in) in Dong Son.[50][51] In total 321 households were flooded, with 38 households were deeply flooded in Uông Bí.[50] So far, a total of 3 people were reported killed by the storm.[52]
Total damage in Tiên Yên District is 28 billion dong (US$1.18 million),[53] while in Uông Bí is 11.7 billion dong (US$494,000).[54] In Lang Son total damaged reached 10 billion dong (US$422,000),[55] and in Bac Kan the damage is 4.25 billion dong (US$180,000).[56]
Elsewhere
In Laos, flash floods exacerbated by Ma-on.[57] Villages along the Nam Ko river have been damaged.[58] Thousands of people are reportedly affected.[59] In China total damage by Ma-on was estimated at 150 million yuan (US$20.8 million).[60]
Remove ads
After the season, the Typhoon Committee announced that the name Ma-on, along with five others will be removed from the naming lists.[61] In the spring of 2024, the name was replaced with Tsing-ma for future seasons.[62]
After the season, PAGASA announced that the name Florita will be removed from their naming lists after this typhoon caused ₱1 billion in damage on its onslaught in the country. On May 5, 2023, the PAGASA chose the name Francisco as its replacement for the 2026 season.[63]
Remove ads
- Weather of 2022
- Tropical cyclones in 2022
- Typhoon Krovanh (2003) – a relatively strong typhoon which took a similar track.
- Typhoon Nuri (2008) – a moderately strong typhoon which had its near-identical path.
- Typhoon Hagupit (2008) – a much stronger typhoon that had a comparable path to Ma-on.
- Typhoon Nesat (2011) – a much stronger typhoon which took a similar track.
- Typhoon Kai-tak (2012) – a weak typhoon which had its track nearly repeated by Ma-on.
- Typhoon Krosa (2013) – a moderate typhoon that also had a nearly repeated track by Ma-on.
- Typhoon Kalmaegi (2014) – a minimal typhoon that had an identical path and affected the same areas.
- Typhoon Haima (2016) – an intense typhoon which also had a near-identical path.
- Typhoon Mangkhut (2018) – a powerful and destructive typhoon which caused widespread damages in the same areas.
- Typhoon Yagi (2024) – another violent typhoon that caused destruction in the same general areas.
Remove ads
Wikiwand in your browser!
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
Remove ads