RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES, VOL. 21, ES1001, doi:10.2205/2020ES000746, 2021
Mau Dinh Le, Galina Vlasova, Dung Thi Thuy Nguyen
On the basis of statistical analysis, studies of the features of the distribution of typhoons in the South China Sea for the period 1951–2019 were carried out using satellite information. As a result, it was revealed that 851 typhoons were observed over the water area of the South China Sea (SCS) during this period. Of these, 464 had a maximum speed of over 33 m/s. Typhoons were observed more often in the northern part of the sea and were more intense than in the southern one. Most typhoons originate in the northwestern Pacific Ocean near the Philippine Islands, while the rest originate directly in the South China Sea. The South China Sea has an average of more than 12 storms per year, which is about half of all storms in the NW Pacific. As a general rule, the highest frequency of storms in the SCS during the mid-summer to mid-autumn period (July–September) is the period with a strong tropical convergence zone in the northern hemisphere. Occurrences of hurricanes (the most powerful typhoon with a maximum wind speed of over 33 m/s) were mostly in September: 146 storms were observed over the entire study period. More than 18 typhoons were observed for 5 years (1964, 1971, 1974, 1995, 1996) for the period. In 1964 and 1996, both years have 21 hurricanes crossed the South China Sea. The areas with very strong storms in Vietnam are Quang Ninh and South Ha Tinh – Deo Ngang and the less active storm areas are Vung Tau – Ho Chi Minh City.
Received 12 October 2020; accepted 26 October 2020; published 11 January 2021.
Citation: Le Mau Dinh, Galina Vlasova, Dung Thi Thuy Nguyen (2021), Distribution features of the typhoons in the South China Sea, Russ. J. Earth Sci., 21, ES1001, doi:10.2205/2020ES000746.
Copyright 2021 by the Geophysical Center RAS.