Draft:List of Taiwan tornadoes

List of tornadoes in Taiwan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tornadoes in Taiwan are rare with an average of 4 to 6 tornadoes annually. Most of these tornadoes are weak and short-lived with intensities that range between F0 and F1, although a very few tornadoes have reached F2 intensities.[1] They occur less frequently compared to its neighboring countries such as China and Japan. Between 1998 and 2021, there are a total number of 156 documented tornadoes in the country.[2] One of the earliest mentions of tornadoes that were documented in the country was in Anping, Tainan on June 3, 1877.[3][4] However, the first tornado officially confirmed by the Central Weather Administration was in Tainan on April 18, 2007.[5][6] Between 1998 and 2010, there were 55 confirmed cases of tornadoes reported, with an additional of 6 suspected cases.[7] Some tornadoes in the country originated as waterspouts before moving inland. Tornadoes in the country often occur during the summer monsoon months from April to October.

A waterspout seen from Dongjidao Weather Station in Penghu County.

Etymology

The word for 'tornado' in Taiwanese Hokkien is 卷螺仔风 (simplified) and 捲螺仔風 (traditional), which also refers to the word 'whirlwind.'[8] It is a variation of the Mandarin Chinese word 龙卷风 (simplified) and 龍捲風 (traditional) which is lóng juǎn fēng in Pinyin, meaning "swirling-dragon wind," referring to the shape of a violently, rotating column of air.[9][10] Although, the latter is commonly used when referring to tornadoes in Taiwan.[3]

Climatology

Further information: Climate of Taiwan

A tornado is a powerful, rotating column of air that descends from the base of a thunderstorm onto the ground. It forms when warm, moist air collides with cold, dry air to create strong atmospheric instability, which then rotates due to vertical wind shear. Tornadoes often occur on intense thunderstorms or during tropical cyclones. Although tornadoes are short-lived, they can be destructive.[7]

A map showing the path of tornadoes that hit Tainan on July 18, 1904.

Taiwan has a humid subtropical climate in the north and a tropical monsoon climate in the south. During the rainy season or plum rain, the summer monsoon brings most of the accumulated annual rainfall in the country.[11] It is also one of the most typhoon-prone areas in the world with an average of 3 to 4 typhoons hitting the country every year.[12][13] One of the hazards of typhoons are tornadoes, which generally form on the right-front region of the storm system relative to its track.[14][15] A notable example is a tornado in Tainan on August 9, 2015 where it formed on the outer bands of Typhoon Soudelor. While the probability of tornadoes hitting the country are rare, most of them occur in specific atmospheric environments.[16] The geography of the country, particularly in the southern regions and the Chianan Plain are susceptible for tornadoes. Also known as the country's "tornado nest," areas such as Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung account for two-thirds of total documented tornadoes.[1][17][2]

Tornado damage in Zouying Naval Base, Kaohsiung on May 14, 1951.

There are three specific environments for tornadoes to form: convection cells that form thunderstorms, the development of cumulus clouds that create a vertical column of vortices, or during typhoons. These environments provide the necessary conditions for tornadoes to occur in the country.[16] Because tornadoes happen on a small scale, it is difficult for the country's meteorological agency to analyze such events. Most historical records of tornadoes came from news reports or through damage assessments but the prevalence of internet usage led to an increase in tornado reports, primarily through social media.[18]

There are some notable tornadoes in Taiwan. On May 12, 2011, a rare anti-cyclonic F1 tornado formed in Xindian District, New Taipei City. It was also the first tornado ever observed in the northern region. Meanwhile, on April 6, 2013, the country's first multi-vortex tornado hit Dashu District, Kaohsiung and Wandan, Pingtung and was given an F2 rating by the Central Weather Administration.[5]

Events

Pre-2000s

  • June 3, 1877 – Roofs were torn off and trees were uprooted by what was described as a violent whirlwind that hit Tainan. A fisherman from Xishu village (modern-day South District, Tainan) was carried away to Alishan and presumably died before he was found more than ten days later.[3][4][19]
  • April 21, 1878 – Multiple structures in modern-day Zhongxi District, Tainan were hit by a whirlwind that destroyed several homes, government offices, and a temple. Local reports initially indicated more than a hundred deaths and a multiple number of unknown people injured. However, 'foreigners' tallied approximately 20 deaths. There were no records of official statistics in archives.[3][4][20]
  • July 18, 1904 – Two tornadoes hit Tainan after a typhoon struck the area where it resulted in more than 200 homes damaged, 80 people injured, and 5 others dead. The first tornado began in Anping District and travelled through several districts in the city where it destroyed almost 70 homes and damaged 20 others before it dissipated near Liujia District. Another tornado appeared hours later in Xinhua District and travelled roughly the same direction as the previous tornado before dissipating near the Zengwen River.[3][4][6]
  • May 14, 1951 – A series of tornadoes hit southern Taiwan that resulted in multiple structures destroyed and several casualties. At 17:10 TST, a tornado hit Zuoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung where it collapsed a warehouse and a school, which resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries. At 18:35 TST, another tornado hit Nanzih District, Kaohsiung where it started travelling through Wandan, Pingtung and Xinshi, Tainan before it dissipated in Majia, Pingtung. It damaged more than 30 homes and a school in Wandan where it killed a two-year old child. At 19:30 TST, a tornado hit the Taiwan Sugar Research Institute in Tainan where it proceeded to damage the building and several sugarcane fields.[3][21]

2000s

  • June 11, 2003 – An F0 tornado toppled power lines and caused a power outage in Kaohsiung.[22]
  • August 25, 2004 – Several plantations and houses were damaged by an F0 tornado in Zhongpu, Chiayi County.[23][24]
  • April 18, 2007 – Several townships in Tainan County were hit by an F2 tornado where it damaged more than a hundred homes in the area. It stayed on the ground at about 40 minutes and formed a path at around 40 km (24.9 mi) long and 20 m (65.5 ft) wide before dissipating.[25] It had the longest duration and the longest path in the country's recorded history.[1][18]
  • April 20, 2009 – A village in Baihe District, Tainan was hit by an F1 tornado where it destroyed at least 9 houses and damaged 20 others.[26]

2010s

2020s

See also

References

Further reading

External links

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