The Tropical cyclone warning signal system (Traditional Chinese: 熱帶氣旋警告信號系統) is a warning system used to indicate the threats of tropical cyclone in the Imaginary Lands of Nicholas. Largely followed after Hong Kong Observatory's system, the system allows citizens across the Imaginary Lands of Nicholas to better understand and prepare for potential dangerous weather situations. The system was adopted in 1993. Prior to the signal system, the "watch and warning" system is used.
The current warning system is maintained by the National Meteorology Bureau of the Imaginary Lands of Nicholas (NMBILN), and it is being applied in all jurisdictions across the kingdom. Note that despite NMBILN also oversees weather forecasting in w:c:nation:Lovia, the NMBILN uses a separate set of warning system for the territory, identical to the system used by the kingdom prior to the adoption of the system in 1993.
The system largely depends on wind speed observed in the area where the signal is being issued. The wind speed is calculated averaging the measurements across the territory of the jurisdiction the signal is being issued to. The average is also "weighted". That is, the wind speed measured in a more populated area of the jurisdiction is factored in more and being considered more than the wind speed measured in less populated areas.
The signals are represented with a symbol and a number, where the higher the number, the higher the threat and danger posed towards the territory. Historically, a light system was also used, but that was later abolished.
Meaning of signals[]
| Signal Number |
Signal Name |
Sustained Wind Speed (km/h, (mph, Beaufort scale)) |
Gusts (km/h (mph)) |
Signal Sign |
Light Signal (Abolished) |
Remarks |
|
Stand-by (戒備) |
N/A |
N/A |
 |
White |
A tropical cyclone is centred within 800 kilometres of Nicholas City (or wherever it is being issued) and may later affect the territory, or there are strong winds in the vicinity's waters | |
|
3 |
Strong winds (強風) |
41 - 62 (26-37, Beaufort Force 6-7) |
may exceed 110 (69) |
 |
Green |
Strong winds (41 - 62 km/h) are expected or blowing generally in Nicholas City (or wherever it is being issued) near the sea level, and the wind condition is expected to persist. |
|
8 NE |
Gale or storm force winds |
63 - 117 (38-73, Beaufort Force 8-11) |
may exceed 180 (113) |
 |
Green |
Gale or storm force winds are expected or blowing generally in Nicholas City (or wherever it is being issued) near the sea level from the NE quadrant, and the wind condition is expected to persist |
|
8 NW |
 |
White |
Gale or storm force winds are expected or blowing generally in Nicholas City (or wherever it is being issued) near the sea level from the NW quadrant, and the wind condition is expected to persist | |||
|
8 SE |
 |
White |
Gale or storm force winds are expected or blowing generally in Nicholas City (or wherever it is being issued) near the sea level from the SE quadrant, and the wind condition is expected to persist | |||
|
8 SW |
 |
Green |
Gale or storm force winds are expected or blowing generally in Nicholas City (or wherever it is being issued) near the sea level from the SW quadrant, and the wind condition is expected to persist | |||
|
9 |
Increasing |
88 - 117, increasing (55-73, Beaufort Force 10-11) |
N/A |
 |
Green |
Gale or storm force winds are increasing in Nicholas City (or wherever it is being issued) |
|
10 |
Hurricane (颶風) |
>118 (74+, Beaufort Force 12) |
may exceed 220 (138) |
 |
Red |
Hurricane force winds. Eye of typhoon may be passing directly over Nicholas City (or wherever it is being issued). |
Impacts to society[]
- This article/section is incomplete. Expansion of this article/section is needed.
The signal being issued by NMBILN at any time dictates which part of the Cyclone Safety Act (Traditional Chinese: 風暴安全法) should be deployed.
Typically, when Signal No. 3 is issued, kindergartens and schools for special needs will be closed. Students who are already in school when the signal is being issued must stay in safe shelters within the educational institution, until a legal guardian comes to pick up the child under 18, or an adult over 18 claims to have a safe mode of transportation home.
Controversies[]
Super Typhoon Eigen[]
The super typhoon brought devastating damages to Nicholas City in early August 2012. Despite hurricane-force winds are recorded in the west side of the city, the NMBILN refused to issue the highest Signal No. 10 Hurricane, claiming that the "winds in the east side is still below hurricane-force". This was accused and blamed for creating unnecessary deaths and damages that could have otherwise prevented.
Occurrences in previous years[]
The following table illustrates the different signals throughout the years. Note that re-issued signals for the same storm are not counted. The count only applies when the signal is first being issued to a particular storm affecting Nicholas City.
| Year | 1 STANDBY |
3 STRONG WINDS |
8 STORM/GALE |
9 INC. STORM/GALE |
10 HURRICANE |
Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NW | SW | NE | SE | ||||||
| 2012 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
| 2013 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
|
| 2014 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
|
| 2015 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
|