TYPHOON, from Typhon, the north wind.
Tufan, . ARAB., HIND. Zephon, . . . . HEB. Ti-fan, Ty-fung, . CHIN. Bagui, . . PHILIPPINE.
rvithw, GR The original meaning of the storm wind, Zephon, is north wind. Typhoon is, however, said to be a word of Chinese origin, from Ta, great, and Fung, tempest. It may, however, also be from the Arabic Tufan, storrn, and that from the Ara,bic root Taof, he did turn.
Typhoon is the European name of the frightful equinoctial gales which vex sea and land about the tropics, in the Eastern Archipelago, and down as far as to 10 degs. from the.equator. The whole Malayan Archipelago is excluded from their sphere, while the whole of the Philippine is within it, the island of Mindano alone excepted. Typhoons, cyclones, and tornadoes are great rotatory winds that move along a curved line in increasing circles, sometimes centripetal. In the northern hemisphere, the rotatory movement follows FL direction contrary to that of the hands of a clock ; while the opposite takes place in the southern hemisphere. They occur in the northern part of the China Sea, along the southern and eastern coasts of China, near Formosa, the Bashee Islands, the north' end of Luconia, and to the eastwards of these islands, aiad betwixt Formosa and the Japan Archipelago. They an
danrrerous tempests, seldom reach beyond lat 14°''N. They generally blow with the greates fury near the land, and most violently in Juni and July. They occur in both monsoona; am though between December and May they aro rare, furious gusts occasionally occur in Noveni• ber, and in August, Septetnber, and Octobei they likewise occur. For several years, wher the change or perigee of the moon has coincide( with the 21st and 2:?d September equinox, violenl ty-fungs occurred. They frequently con-menu without warning. The marine barometer affordE the best indication, and its fall has been noticed to extend from 29.65° to below 27°. They usually commence between N.W. and N., and veer suddenly to N.E. and E.. raising the sea in turbulent pyramids, which infringe violently on each other ; as the wind veers to the south, the gale moderates. Near the coast of China a contrary niotion often takes place, veering to the N.W. and W., changes to the S.W. In Kenng chow (Hainan) and the opposite peninsula called Lui-chew, or the region of thunder, temples are dedicated to the typhoon, the god of which they call Kew-woo, the typhoon mother.—Hersburgh. See IIurricane; Winds.