Typhoon Bavi Hits Eastern China

Typhoon Bavi hit the east coast of China near Wenzhou on Saturday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Typhoon Bavi was located at latitude 28.1°N and longitude 121.2°E which put the center about 25 miles (40 km) east of Wenzhou, China.  Bavi was moving toward the northwest at 18 m.p.h. (30 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 115 m.p.h. (185 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 952 mb.

The center of Typhoon Bavi made landfall on the east coast of China east of Wenzhou on Saturday.  Typhoon Bavi was the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale at the time of landfall.

The strongest winds were blowing in the eastern side of Typhoon Bavi which was still over the East China Sea.  Winds to typhoon force extended out 90 miles (145 km) in the eastern side of Bavi’s circulation.  Wind to tropical storm force extended out 345 miles (555 km) from the center of Typhoon Bavi.

The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Bavi is 13.9.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 24.9 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 38.8.  Typhoon Bavi is similar in intensity to Hurricane Sandy when Sandy hit the east coast of the U.S. in 2012.  Typhoon Bavi is a little smaller than Sandy was.

Typhoon Bavi will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system that is over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Bavi toward the northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, the center of Typhoon Bavi will continue to move inland over Zhejiang.  The center of Bavi’s circulation will pass west of Shanghai on Sunday.

Typhoon Bavi will bring strong winds and heavy rain to Zhejiang during the next few hours.  Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.  Typhoon Bavi could also cause a storm surge of up to 8 feet (2.5 meters) along parts of the east coast of China.

Typhoon Bavi will weaken gradually as it moves farther inland over eastern China.  Even so, Typhoon Bavi will also bring strong winds and heavy rain to Jiangsu as it moves farther to the north on Sunday.

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