Update: Typhoon Soudelor to bring floods, damaging winds to Taiwan; China is next
Taiwan has been told to "prepare for a direct strike by a major typhoon", and could reach 'super' typhoon status by the time it hits the country early on Saturday.  Flights have been cancelled, schools and offices shut and hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes, with two people dead and one missing already due to the choppy waters off the northeastern coast.  It is hoped that the "rugged terrain" of Taiwan will cause Typhoon Soudelor to weaken significantly before hitting China, though its path could still change. 
AccuWeather has reported that “powerful Typhoon Soudelor will bring both flooding rainfall and damaging winds to Taiwan as the storm remains on a collision course with the island.”

The report noted that “even though Soudelor has weakened, it remains a powerful typhoon and will re-strengthen prior to making landfall as it moves back into an area of very warm ocean waters with limited wind shear.”

AccuWeather Meteorologist Dave Samuhel warned residents of Taiwan that they “should prepare for a direct strike by a major typhoon. In fact, the typhoon could come close to regaining super typhoon status before reaching the country Friday night.”

Taiwan and the southern Ryukyu Islands will be the next locations to contend with Soudelor. Impacts will begin on Friday across the islands of Yaeyama and Miyako as the outer bands of the typhoon bring gusty winds and periods of rain.

AccuWeather said: “Conditions will worsen across northern and eastern Taiwan Friday afternoon with the worst of the weather expected Friday night and Saturday as the powerful typhoon makes landfall along the east coast of Taiwan.

“Rainfall totals of 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) are likely across the southern Ryukyu Islands with 125-250 mm (5-10 inches) falling over much of Taiwan, including Taipei with locally higher amounts. Across the mountainous terrain of Taiwan, more than 500 mm (20 inches) of rain is likely. This amount of rainfall can trigger mudslides and produce widespread flash flooding.

“Damaging winds will also be a primary concern across Taiwan where wind gusts over 160 kph (100 mph) are expected across central and northern parts of the island. Even in the sheltered areas of northern Taiwan, including Taipei wind gusts can reach 120 kph (75 mph).

“While the southern third of Taiwan will be spared the worst of the storm, winds over 85 kph (50 mph) are still expected along with some flooding downpours.” In addition a storm surge will also “result in coastal flooding along central and northern portions of Taiwan’s eastern coastline including Hualien County and Yilan County.”

The path, directly across Taiwan, that the typhoon is expected to follow will encompass the “rugged terrain” of the island’s mountainous interior. This “will cause Soudelor to weaken significantly before making a second landfall in eastern China late Saturday or Sunday; however, flooding rainfall and damaging winds are still a concern.

The floods will mainly affect areas “from Fujian and Jiangxi provinces northward to Anhui and Jiangsu provinces this weekend into early next week. Rainfall will average 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) with more than 300 mm (12 inches) expected in parts of the coastal plain from Shantou to Taizhou.

“While the strongest winds will be confined to northern Fujian Province, isolated damaging winds are still possible in parts of Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces as Soudelor moves inland and weakens further.

“The center of Soudelor passed directly over the island of Saipan to the north of Guam with Category 2 hurricane-force winds on Sunday night.

“Winds to near 170 kph (105 mph) were reported on Saipan as the eyewall of Soudelor passed over the island. Guam to the south was largely spared any damaging winds as gusts reached 50-65 kph (30-40 mph) for several hours.

“Soudelor rapidly intensified on Monday after departing Saipan, becoming a super typhoon and reaching the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic or Eastern Pacific basins. Soudelor reached peak intensity late Monday with winds near 290 kph (180 mph), making it the strongest tropical cyclone anywhere on the planet this year.”

Source: AccuWeather

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Flood China