Tag Archives: Typhoon Mangkhut

Typhoon Mangkhut Makes Landfall West of Hong Kong

Typhoon Mangkhut made landfall west of Hong Kong on Sunday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Typhoon Mangkhut was located at latitude 22.3°N and longitude 111.0°E which put it about 65 miles (105 km) east-southeast of Yulin, China.  Mangkhut was moving toward the west-northwest at 20 m.p.h. (32 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 979 mb.

Typhoon Mangkhut made landfall on the coast of China near Yangjiang on Sunday.  The maximum sustained wind speed was near 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 115 m.p.h. (185 km/h).  There were reports that strong winds blew out windows in high rise buildings in Hong Kong.  There were strong gusty winds along the coast between Hong Kong and Yangjiang.  Strong winds blowing water toward the coast also produced a storm surge along that section of the coast.  The highest surge occurred just to the east of where the center made landfall.

Typhoon Mangkhut will drop heavy rain over Zizhiqu, Zhaungzu and Guangxi provinces while it moves farther inland.  Mangkhut will weaken slowly as it moves slowly across southern China.  The locally heavy rain could cause flash floods, especially in regions of steeper terrain.  Reports of damage and casualties caused when Typhoon Mangkhut move across northern Luzon were still coming in.

Typhoon Mangkhut Approaches Southern China

After causing significant destruction over northern Luzon, Typhoon Mangkhut approached southern China on Saturday night.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Typhoon Mangkhut was located at latitude 21.0°N and longitude 114.4°E which put it about 130 miles (205 km) south-southeast of Hong Kong.  Mangkhut was moving toward the west-northwest at 21 m.p.h. (34 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 961 mb.

The inner core of Typhoon Mangkhut was disrupted when it moved across the northern end of Luzon.  The inner eyewall weakened and a larger ragged eye was at the center of the typhoon.  Recent visible satellite images seemed to show an inner rainband wrapping more tightly around the center of circulation and the inner core of Typhoon Mangkhut could be reorganizing.  A smaller eye could be redeveloping at the center of circulation.

Even though it has weakened since yesterday, Typhoon Mangkhut has a very large circulation.  Winds to typhoon force extend out about 70 miles (110 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extend out about 350 miles (565 km) from the center.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Mangkhut is 16.5.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 28.5 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Index (HWISI) is 45.0.  Typhoon Mangkhut is capable of causing widespread serious damage.

Typhoon Mangkhut is moving southwest of a subtropical ridge which is steering the typhoon quickly toward the west-northwest.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Mangkhut will pass south of Hong Kong in a few hours.  Mangkhut will make landfall on the coast of south China near Yangjiang in about 12 hours.  Typhoon Mangkhut will bring strong gusty winds to southern China.  It will cause a storm surge of up to 10 feet (3 meters) along the coast.  Mangkhut will also drop heavy rain and it will cause flash floods.

Powerful Typhoon Mangkhut Hits Northern Luzon

Powerful Typhoon Mangkhut hit northern Luzon on Friday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Typhoon Mangkhut was located at latitude 18.2°N and longitude 121.5°W which put it about 60 miles (95 km) east of Laoag, Philippines.  Mangkhut was moving toward the west-northwest at 21 m.p.h. (35 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 165 m.p.h. (270 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 200 m.p.h. (320 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 908 mb.

Mangkhut is a large and dangerous typhoon.  Winds to typhoon force extend out about 110 miles (175 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extend out about 330 miles (530 km) from the center.  The outer rainbands around Typhoon Mangkhut stretch from Manila, Philippines to southern Taiwan.

The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) is 36.8.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 38.5 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 75.3.  Typhoon Mangkhut is bigger than Hurricane Katrina was when Katrina was a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale over the Gulf of Mexico in 2005.  Typhoon Mangkhut has the potential to cause extensive catastrophic damage over parts of Luzon.

Typhoon Mangkhut will cause extensive catastrophic wind damage over northern Luzon.  It will also drop heavy rain and there will be flash floods.  The flooding will be worse in areas of steeper slopes.  There will be a significant storm surge on the coast of extreme northeastern Luzon.

Typhoon Mangkhut will weaken while it crosses northern Luzon.  Mangkhut will then move quickly off to the west-northwest. On its anticipated track Typhoon Mangkhut could be near Hong Kong in about 30 hours.

Typhoon Mangkhut Strengthens Into Equivalent of Cat. 5 Hurricane

Typhoon Mangkhut strengthened into the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on Tuesday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Typhoon Mangkhut was located at latitude 13.7°N and longitude 138.0°E which put it about 290 miles (470 km) north of Yap.  Mangkhut was moving toward the west at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 160 m.p.h. (260 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 190 m.p.h. (305 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 915 mb.

Typhoon Mangkhut is strong and well organized.  It has a symmetrical circulation with a circular eye at the center.  A ring of strong thunderstorms surround the eye and the strongest winds are occurring in the ring of storms.  Several bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Mangkhut.  Storms near the core were generating strong upper level divergence which was pumping large quantities of mass away from the typhoon in all directions.

Typhoon Mangkhut has a large circulation.  Winds to typhoon force extend out about 65 miles (105 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extend out about 210 miles (375 km) from the center.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Mangkhut is 35.0.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 22.1 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 57.1.  Typhoon Mangkhut is capable of causing extensive catastrophic damage.

Typhoon Mangkhut will be moving through an environment very favorable for powerful typhoons.  Mangkhut will be moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will move through an area were the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Typhoon Mangkhut could maintain its intensity for several more days unless eyewall replacement cycles cause fluctuations in the wind speed.

Typhoon Mangkhut is moving south a ridge of high pressure over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The ridge will steer Mangkhut in a general west-northwesterly direction during the next few days.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Mangkhut could approach northern Luzon in about three days.  Mangkhut could be near Hong Kong in about five days.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Barijat was moving southeast of Hong Kong.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Barijat was located at latitude 20.5°N and longitude 116.5°E which put it about 215 miles (345 km) southeast of Hong Kong.  Barijat was moving toward the west-southwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb.

Typhoon Mangkhut Strengthens to Equivalent of a Major Hurricane

Typhoon Mangkhut strengthened into the equivalent of a major hurricane as it moved west of Guam on Monday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Typhoon Mangkhut was located at latitude 14.0°N and longitude 140.6°E which put it about 230 miles (375 km) west of Guam.  Mangkhut was moving toward the west at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 140 m.p.h. (225 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 165 m.p.h. (270 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 939 mb.  Typhoon Mangkhut was the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

Typhoon Mangkhut intensified rapidly on Monday.  A circular eye was at the center of circulation.  A ring of strong thunderstorms surrounded the eye and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Several bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Mangkhut.  Storms around the core were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away from the typhoon.

Winds to typhoon force extended out about 50 miles (80 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out about 210 miles (335 km) from the center.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Mangkhut was 28.2.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 18.9 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 47.1.

Typhoon Mangkhut will move through an environment capable of supporting very strong typhoons during the next two or three days.  Mangkhut will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Typhoon Mangkhut is likely to remain very strong for the next few days.  Eyewall replacement cycles could cause fluctuations in intensity.

Typhoon Mangkhut will move south of a ridge over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The ridge will steer Mangkhut to the west during the next day or two.  Typhoon Mangkhut will move more toward the west-northwest later this week.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Mangkhut could be near northern Luzon in about four days.

Typhoon Mangkhut Brings Wind and Rain to the Marianas

Typhoon Mangkhut brought wind and rain to the Marianas on Sunday night.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Typhoon Mangkhut was located at latitude 14.4°N and longitude 146.6°E which put it about 175 miles (285 km) east-northeast of Guam.  Mangkhut was moving toward the west at 19 m.p.h. (31 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 955 mb.  Typhoon Warnings were in effect for Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Guam.  The airport on Saipan was reporting sustained winds of 41 m.p.h. (66 km/h) and wind gusts to 61 m.p.h. (98 km/h).

Typhoon Mangkhut had a well organized circulation.  There was a circular eye at the center of Mangkhut.  A ring of strong thunderstorms surrounded the eye and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Several bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Mangkhut.  Storms near the core were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away from the typhoon.

Winds to typhoon force extended out about 40 miles (65 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out about 150 miles (240 km) from the center.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Mangkhut was 13.9.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 13.5 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index was 27.4.  Typhoon Mangkhut was capable of causing regional significant damage.

Typhoon Mangkhut will move through an environment favorable for intensification.  Mangkhut will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  An upper level ridge north of Mangkhut will cause easterly winds which will blow toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the shear will not be strong enough to prevent intensification.  Typhoon Mangkhut could intensify into the equivalent of a major hurricane later this week.

The ridge north of Typhoon Mangkhut will steer the typhoon in a westerly direction.  The core of Typhoon Mangkhut will move over the Marianas during the next few hours.  It will bring strong winds and it will drop locally heavy rain.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Mangkhut could be east of Luzon later this week.