[Index]
Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary September 2005
[Summaries and Track Data] [Prepared by Gary Padgett]
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Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary September 2005 [Summaries and Track Data] [Prepared by Gary Padgett] |
MONTHLY GLOBAL TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY
SEPTEMBER, 2005
(For general comments about the nature of these summaries, as well as
information on how to download the tabular cyclone track files, see
the Author's Note at the end of this summary.)
*************************************************************************
SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
--> Above-normal Atlantic activity continues with five hurricanes
--> Another Category 5 Gulf of Mexico hurricane
--> Outbreak of activity in Eastern Pacific nets two major hurricanes
--> Western Pacific active--several typhoons and tropical storms strike
China and Vietnam
*************************************************************************
***** Extra Feature *****
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES
2005 - 2006 SEASON
TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES for the AUSTRALIAN REGION
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology maintains three Tropical
Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWC): Perth, Western Australia; Darwin,
Northern Territory; and Brisbane, Queensland. Each centre is allotted
a separate list of tropical cyclone names for tropical cyclones forming
within its area of responsibility (AOR). In addition a TCWC located at
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG)--a former Australian territory--
maintains a list of native names to assign to the very rare tropical
cyclones which form within its AOR.
The AORs of the respective centres are:
(1) Perth - 125E westward to 90E and south of 10S. Currently, and for
at least the next few years, the Perth TCWC will issue warnings for
any systems north of 10S and south and west of the Indonesian
islands.
(2) Darwin - 125E eastward to 138E and extending northward to the
equator. There is a little irregularity with the eastern border
in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Darwin TCWC issues High Seas
Warnings for the entire Gulf of Carpentaria, but Brisbane issues
Tropical Cyclone Advices and names cyclones in the eastern portion
of the Gulf. Also, currently, and for at least the next few years,
the Darwin TCWC will issue warnings for any systems west of 125E
and within the Indonesian archipelago in the Banda, Flores, and
Java Seas.
(3) Brisbane - 138E eastward to 160E and generally south of 10S. The
northern border with the Port Moresby AOR is somewhat irregular.
(4) Port Moresby, PNG - immediate vicinity of the island of New Guinea
and eastward to 160E generally north of 10S although the southern
border is somewhat irregular.
Names for the 2005-2006 season (** indicates name has already been
assigned as of 10 February 2006):
Perth Darwin Brisbane Port Moresby
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bertie ** George Jim ** Alu
Clare ** Helen Kate Buri
Daryl ** Ira Larry Dodo
Emma Jasmine Monica Emau
Floyd Kim Nelson Fere
Glenda Laura Odette Guba
Hubert Matt Pierre Hibu
Isobel Narelle Rebecca Ila
Jacob Oswald Sandy Kama
Kara Penny Tania Lobu
Lee Vernon
Melanie Wendy
Nicholas Alfred
Ophelia Blanch
Pancho Charles
TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES for the SOUTHWEST INDIAN OCEAN
and the SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN
The Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) at Nadi, Fiji, has
tropical cyclone warning responsibility for the South Pacific east of
160E and from the equator to 25S. The Meteorological Service of New
Zealand at Wellington has warning responsibility for waters south of
25S, but almost all tropical cyclones in this basin form north of 25S.
When a rare cyclone forms in the Wellington area of responsibility
(AOR), it usually will be assigned a name from the Fiji list (such as
was done for Tropical Cyclone Gita in February, 1999.)
Tropical cyclone warning responsibility for South Indian waters west
of 90E are shared by several TCWCs. The Regional Specialty
Meteorological Centre (RSMC) for the region is the office of Meteo
France on the island of La Reunion. However, following a long-standing
practice, the Sub-regional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Centres at Mauritius
and Madagascar share the responsibility for actually naming tropical
storms with Mauritius naming systems east of 55E and Madagascar covering
the area west of 55E. RSMC La Reunion issues warnings for the basin
independently of Mauritius and Madagascar, but only advises regarding
when or when not to assign a name to a developing cyclone.
Names for the 2005-2006 season (** indicates name has already been
assigned as of 30 January 2006):
Southwest Indian South Pacific
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Alvin ** Nadety Tam ** Daman
Boloetse ** Otile Urmil ** Elisa
Carina Pindile Vaianu Funa
Diwa Quincy Wati Gene
Elia Rugare Xavier Hettie
Farda Sebina Yani Innis
Guduza Timba Zita Joni
Helio Usta Arthur Ken
Isabella Velo Becky Lin
Jaone Wilby Cliff Mick
Kundai Xanda
Lindsay Yuri
Marinda Zoelle
***********************************************************************
***********************************************************************
ACTIVITY BY BASINS
ATLANTIC (ATL) - North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico
Activity for September: 1 tropical depression **
3 hurricanes
2 intense hurricanes
** - depression formed late on 30 September and will be treated as an
October cyclone
Sources of Information
----------------------
Most of the information presented below was obtained from the
various tropical cyclone products issued by the Tropical Prediction
Center/National Hurricane Center (TPC/NHC) in Miami, Florida:
discussions, public advisories, forecast/advisories, tropical weather
outlooks, special tropical disturbance statements, etc. Some
additional information may have been gleaned from the monthly
summaries prepared by the hurricane specialists and available on
TPC/NHC's website. All references to sustained winds imply a
1-minute averaging period unless otherwise noted.
Atlantic Tropical Activity for September
----------------------------------------
Tropical cyclone activity continued at a high level during the month
of September. Five systems were named as tropical storms, and all five
became hurricanes. Early in the month Hurricane Maria briefly reached
Category 3 status while recurving in the mid-Atlantic, and Hurricane Nate
became a strong Category 1 hurricane as it sped into the central Atlantic
after passing harmlessly south of Bermuda. Philippe and Ophelia were
also Category 1 hurricanes. Whereas Philippe pursued an uneventful track
northward from its genesis east of the Lesser Antilles, Ophelia followed
a very erratic track just off the southeastern U. S., eventually brushing
the North Carolina Outer Banks with hurricane-force winds. The most
significant September cyclone was Hurricane Rita, which formed in the
Bahamas and moved through the Florida Straits, paralleling the Keys as
it rapidly intensified to hurricane intensity. Once into the Gulf of
Mexico, Rita rapidly strengthened into almost a carbon copy of August's
Hurricane Katrina, becoming the second Category 5 hurricane of the
season. Rita followed a generally west-northwesterly track across the
Gulf and made a devastating strike in the western Louisiana/eastern
Texas region.
The average numbers of NS, H and IH for September (1950-2004) are 3.5,
2.5 and 1.3, respectively, so the month of September, 2005, exceeded the
mean in all categories. Over the period 1950-2004, the average NTC for
the month of September has been 48%--the September, 2005, cyclones
generated a NTC of 70%. All the September named cyclones represent the
earliest formation dates for Atlantic NS with ordinal numbers 13 - 17.
All the previous record setters occurred during the 1933 season. The
following table lists the dates the cyclones reached tropical storm
intensity during the 2005 and 1933 seasons:
Number Name 2005 Date 1933 Date
---------------------------------------------
13 Maria 2 Sep 8 Sep
14 Nate 6 Sep 10 Sep
15 Ophelia 7 Sep 16 Sep
16 Philippe 18 Sep 27 Sep
17 Rita 18 Sep 28 Sep
Reports on all the named storms follow. Another tropical depression
formed in the Cape Verde region late on September 30. That system never
reached tropical storm intensity and will be covered briefly in the
October summary. Additionally, at the beginning of the month Tropical
Depression Lee was meandering in mid-ocean several hundred miles east
of Bermuda. Lee had been a minimal tropical storm very briefly on the
final day of August before being downgraded to depression status only
six hours after being named.
NEWS FLASH!!! TPC/NHC has officially announced that last July's
Tropical Storm Cindy has been upgraded briefly to
hurricane status. This brings the number of
hurricanes in the record-breaking 2005 season to 15.
Another item which may be of interest to many: in
post-storm analysis the peak MSW in Hurricane Wilma
was raised to 160 kts.
HURRICANE MARIA
(TC-14)
1 - 12 September
------------------------------------
A. Introduction and Storm Origins
---------------------------------
Maria was one of the few tropical cyclones of the record-breaking
2005 Atlantic hurricane season which formed in the so-called Main
Development Region: the zone south of 20N and east of the Lesser
Antilles. The cyclone pursued a long trajectory which took it from its
birthplace in the central tropical Atlantic to a point of recurvature
several hundred miles east of Bermuda, and thence northeastward into the
far North Atlantic south of Iceland. Maria briefly became a Category 3
hurricane on the Saffir/Simpson scale as its winds reached 100 kts for
a six-hour period on 5 September when the cyclone was centered a few
hundred miles east of Bermuda.
Maria's progenitor was a well-organized tropical wave which moved off
the western coast of Africa on 27 August, and on the 28th an associated
area of low pressure was located about 390 nm southeast of the Cape Verde
Islands. The system gradually became better organized over the next
few days as it moved west-northwestward, and advisories were initiated on
Tropical Depression 14 at 1500 UTC on 1 September. The depression was
then centered approximately 970 nm east of the northern Leeward Islands,
moving west-northwestward at 14 kts. The first visible satellite images
of the day revealed a well-defined LLCC with an area of deep convection
to the north. However, an upper-level LOW to the southwest was producing
some shear over the depression, so further strengthening was hindered a
bit.
B. Track and Intensity History
------------------------------
The depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Maria at 1500 UTC on
2 September, being located about 765 nm east-northeast of the Leeward
Islands and approximately 1030 nm southeast of Bermuda. The MSW was
estimated at 35 kts, based on T-numbers of 2.5 from all three satellite
agencies, plus a QuikScat pass showing several uncontaminated 35-kt
wind vectors with a couple peaking at 45 kts. Maria was moving slowly
west-northwestward at 8 kts, and this motion continued, gradually
becoming northwesterly as the cyclone was guided by a strong subtropical
ridge to the east and a broad trough over the western Atlantic. Maria
steadily intensified and was upgraded to a 65-kt hurricane at 04/0900
UTC when located about 560 nm east-southeast of Bermuda. The upgrade
was based upon T4.0 Dvorak ratings from TAFB and SAB. SSMI and AMSU
overpasses near 04/0000 UTC had indicated nearly closed eyewall features,
and the central convection had increased significantly in depth and
organization with cloud tops colder than -80 C near the center.
Steady intensification continued as the hurricane turned to the north
while nearing the subtropical ridge axis. Maria reached its peak
intensity of 100 kts at 0300 UTC on 6 September while moving north-
northeastward about 420 nm east of Bermuda. Deep convection had become
more symmetric about the eye, and subjective Dvorak intensity estimates
were 102 kts and 90 kts from TAFB and SAB, respectively, while objective
estimates from CIMSS were near 100 kts. However, Maria was not to
remain a Category 3 hurricane for long. Six hours later the eye had
become more ragged and open to the west and cloud tops had warmed
significantly. The MSW at 0900 UTC was correspondingly reduced to
90 kts. The hurricane had by this time rounded the subtropical ridge
axis and was moving north-northeastward at 6 kts.
Hurricane Maria weakened rather quickly on 6 September as it moved
into an environment of unfavorable westerly shear. Only 24 hours after
peaking at 100 kts, Maria was downgraded to a 60-kt tropical storm at
07/0300 UTC. The cyclone at the time was centered about 550 nm east-
northeast of Bermuda. A surprise was in store, however. A QuikScat
pass at 07/0850 UTC indicated that Maria was stronger than Dvorak
intensity estimates alone would suggest with many wind vectors greater
than hurricane force. Thus, Maria was re-upgraded to hurricane status
at 07/1500 UTC with 70-kt winds. The NHC discussion noted that it was
difficult to know whether or not Maria had re-intensified due to a trough
interaction, or had been stronger all along than its satellite signature
had suggested. In any case, the trough which had been producing the
shearing had become indistinguishable from Maria and the cyclone was
taking on a comma-like appearance, indicative of the first stages of
impending extratropical transition.
Maria's second round as a hurricane lasted 36 hours before the storm
was downgraded again at 09/0300 UTC. Deep convection was decreasing
again and the cyclone was over 25 C water and moving into progressively
cooler SSTs, and all satellite intensity estimates were below hurricane
strength. The weakening cyclone was located about 525 southeast of
Cape Race, Newfoundland, and was moving northeastward at 8 kts--a rather
slow translational speed for those latitudes. The resilient Maria
continued to exist as a tropical cyclone for another 36 hours following
its second downgrading. The 09/1500 UTC NHC discussion noted that
an eye-like feature continued to come and go with bursts of deep
convection occasionally trying to wrap around the center. It was felt
that a combination of cool upper-air temperatures and SSTs holding
steady around 24-25 C had helped to delay extratropical transition of
Maria. However, by 10/0300 UTC Maria was beginning to lose its tropical
characteristics as it interacted with a mid and upper-level westerly
trough, and by 0900 UTC the process was complete. The final advisory on
Maria issued by NHC placed the 50-kt extratropical cyclone about 625 nm
northwest of the Azores. After extratropical transition, the former
hurricane turned more north-northeastward, and late on 12 September
reached Iceland.
A graphic depicting the track of Hurricane Maria to the point of
extratropical transition may be found at the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-14L-MARIA.gif>
A graphic with slightly lower resolution depicting the entire track
of Maria may be accessed the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-14L-MARIA-B.gif>
C. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
No damage or casualties are known to have resulted from Hurricane
Maria.
(Report written by Gary Padgett)
HURRICANE NATE
(TC-15)
5 - 12 September
------------------------------------
A. Introduction and Storm Origins
---------------------------------
Hurricane Nate's origins lay within a zone of disturbed weather
which was associated with a broad surface trough that stretched from
near Bermuda southwestward to the Bahamas. Two centers of action
formed within this trough, the easternmost one becoming Nate and the
westernmost one developing into Hurricane Ophelia. The afternoon STWO
issued by TPC/NHC on 2 September mentioned this area of disturbed
weather, but noted that upper-level winds were unfavorable for tropical
cyclone development at the time. Little change occurred on the 3rd,
but by the morning of 4 September a well-defined surface low pressure
system had formed about 350 nm northeast of the Turks and Caicos
Islands and was drifting slowly northward. Convection was increasing
and upper-level winds were gradually becoming more favorable for tropical
cyclone development. By the morning of 5 September the low pressure
system was located approximately 250 nm south-southwest of Bermuda and
convective activity was increasing. By afternoon satellite data
indicated that the system had acquired enough organization to be
classified as a tropical depression; hence, advisories were initiated
on Tropical Depression 15 at 05/2100 UTC. The depression was centered
about 300 nm south-southwest of Bermuda and was essentially stationary
after having meandered in a cyclonic loop during the previous few hours.
B. Track and Intensity History
------------------------------
Tropical Storm Nate was christened on the second advisory due to
the presence of a well-defined and robust circulation with convective
tops to -80 C, Dvorak intensity estimates of 30-35 kts, and a recent
buoy report to 30 kts west of the center and outside the convection.
At 06/0300 UTC Nate was centered about 275 nm south-southwest of Bermuda
and was essentially stationary. The tropical cyclone remained quasi-
stationary over the next day and a half while slowly increasing to
hurricane strength. Visible satellite images on the morning of the 7th
showed a ragged eye and Dvorak intensity estimates were averaging about
70 kts, so Nate was upgraded to a 70-kt hurricane at 1500 UTC while
located about 200 nm south-southwest of Bermuda. The storm was moving
very slowly northward, but the track became northeasterly at a slightly
increased pace as the day wore on. The only reconnaissance mission into
Hurricane Nate was early on the 8th, and the aircraft found a peak 700-mb
FLW of 85 kts, thus confirming the 75-kt satellite based intensity used
in the previous two advisories.
Nate reached its peak intensity of 80 kts at 0300 UTC on 9 September,
based on intensity estimates of 77 kts from SAB and AFWA and 90 kts from
TAFB. Nate had passed about 125 nm south of Bermuda around 0900 UTC
on the 8th, and by the time of peak intensity was located about 235 nm
east of the island, moving east-northeastward at 17 kts. Even as Nate
reached its estimated peak intensity, the cloud pattern was beginning
to show the tell-tale signs of increasing upper-level westerly flow,
and a recent SSM/I pass revealed the presence of very dry air just to
the north of the hurricane. Nate's demise was very rapid: only 12 hours
after peaking in intensity the storm was almost devoid of any deep
convection and was downgraded to a 60-kt tropical storm. Visible
satellite imagery depicted a badly-sheared cyclone with an exposed LLCC
resulting from the 25-30 kts of southwesterly shear. By 1500 UTC on
10 September Nate's radius of maximum winds had expanded to 90 nm with
an asymmetric wind distribution. This, in conjunction with the absence
of any significant deep convection, was the basis for classifying Nate
as extratropical. The final TPC/NHC advisory at this time placed the
center of Nate about 880 nm west of the Azores and scooting eastward
at 20 kts. After extratropical transition the remnants of Nate turned
northeastward and continued to race into the colder waters of the North
Atlantic as the winds slowly decreased.
A graphic depicting the track of Hurricane Nate may be found at the
following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-15L-NATE.gif>
C. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
No damage or casualties are known to have resulted from Hurricane
Nate.
(Report written by Gary Padgett)
HURRICANE OPHELIA
(TC-16)
6 - 20 September
-------------------------------------
A. Introduction and Storm Origins
---------------------------------
The most erratically-moving tropical cyclone of the remarkable 2005
Atlantic hurricane season had its origins in a large, stationary trough
of low pressure which stretched from Florida eastward to near Bermuda
in early September. Two areas of concentrated showers and thunder-
storms formed within this trough, and both were destined to become
hurricanes. Ophelia formed from the westernmost disturbance while the
easternmost system became Hurricane Nate. Ophelia meandered off the
southeastern U. S. coast for more than a week on a very erratic track,
one which rivaled those of Hurricane Ginny of 1963 and Hurricane Kara
of 1969 in the same region. The storm also has the distinction of
being the first Atlantic tropical cyclone on record to have been upgraded
to hurricane status on four separate occasions.
A graphic depicting the entire track of Hurricane Ophelia may be found
at the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-16L-OPHELIA.gif>
John Diebolt has prepared five smaller-scale maps showing various
portions of Ophelia's track. These will be referenced in Section B as
each phase in the cyclone's history is described.
The parent trough in which Ophelia developed was first mentioned in
a TPC/NHC STWO on the afternoon of 2 September. By the morning of
4 September a STWO noted that cloudiness and thunderstorms were
becoming a little more concentrated over the northwestern and central
Bahamas, the Florida Straits and southeastern Florida. (At the same
time the pre-Nate system was beginning to take shape a few hundred miles
northeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands.) By the next morning a broad
area of low pressure was located just off the southeastern coast of
Florida and was stationary. Little change in organization had been
noted and upper-level winds were only marginally favorable for further
development. By early on the 6th satellite and radar data, along with
nearby surface observations, indicated that the system was becoming
better-defined and convection had increased. Advisories were begun
on Tropical Depression 16 at 06/1500 UTC, then centered just east of
Freeport on Grand Bahama Island and about 155 nm southeast of Cape
Canaveral, Florida. Even though the initial advisory intensity was
only 25 kts, due to the proximity to the coast and the forecast for
further strengthening, a tropical storm warning was issued with the first
advisory for portions of the Florida east coast and for the northwestern
Bahamas.
B. Track and Intensity History
------------------------------
Phase 1 - Just off Florida's East Coast
---------------------------------------
The graphic depicting this phase of Ophelia's life may be found at
the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-16L-OPHELIA-A.gif>
Tropical Depression 16 tracked northward across Grand Bahama Island
and continued in this general direction, paralleling the Florida coast.
Little strengthening occurred during the first 18 hours, but at 0600 UTC
on 7 September the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Ophelia,
located approximately 100 nm east-southeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida,
and moving north-northwestward at about 4 kts. The intensity of 35 kts
was based on a blend of surface reports of 33 kts from drifting buoy
41542, located just northeast of the center, and Doppler radar velocities
of 36-44 kts between 3050 and 3650 meters. The highest reconnaissance
wind report was 42 kts in the northwestern quadrant. Ophelia steadily
intensified as it meandered just off Florida's East Coast. Steering
currents were weak and the storm described a small counter-clockwise
loop between 07/1800 and 09/0600 UTC less than 100 nm east of Cape
Canaveral.
During this period vertical shear which had been inhibiting the
cyclone's intensification lessened and Ophelia responded by increasing
to hurricane intensity at 08/2100 UTC. At this time the storm was
stationary about 60 nm east-northeast of Cape Canaveral. The upgrade
to hurricane strength was based primarily on Doppler radar velocities
of 80-85 kts in the southern eyewall at an elevation of about 1980 meters
along with a reconnaissance-measured CP of 985 mb. Ophelia exhibited
well-defined outflow in all quadrants except the southeast. By 0600 UTC
on 9 September the storm was drifting north-northeastward and had
completed the small loop. However, the radar signature of Ophelia had
deteriorated significantly and the highest dropsonde wind measured by
a reconnaissance aircraft was 58 kts near the surface, so Ophelia was
downgraded to a 55-kt tropical storm at 0900 UTC. A shortwave trough
to the west was helping to lift Ophelia to the northeast, but all the
model guidance indicated that the cyclone would be left behind as high
pressure built over the eastern U. S. This is exactly what happened.
Phase 2 - Loop off the Georgia and South Carolina Coasts
--------------------------------------------------------
The graphic depicting this phase of Ophelia's life may be found at
the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-16L-OPHELIA-B.gif>
Ophelia did not remain below hurricane intensity for long. At 2100
UTC on 9 September the cyclone was upgraded to hurricane status for the
second time. This was supported by subjective intensity estimates from
all agencies and objective T-numbers, a NOAA reconnaissance measurement
of 72-kt winds at 700-mb along with a CP of 983 mb, SFMR winds near the
surface of 62 kts, and a 10-nm diameter circular eye. Ophelia's center
at this time was located about 150 nm east-northeast of Daytona Beach,
Florida, and was moving northeastward near 6 kts. However, during the
evening hours Ophelia's satellite signature became less impressive
with a significant decrease in both the coverage and intensity of the
convection, so at 0900 UTC on 10 September Ophelia was downgraded to
a 60-kt tropical storm. The 0600 UTC Dvorak numbers had come down a bit
to T3.5, and the highest 850-mb FLW was 70 kts--corresponding to about
56 kts at the surface. Re-strengthening was forecast, however, and this
verified. Only six hours later, at 10/1500 UTC, Ophelia was upgraded to
hurricane intensity for the third time based on a CP of 976 mb measured
by a reconnaissance plane and a peak 700-mb FLW of 78 kts.
After the third upgrade the yoyoing in intensity leveled off somewhat
and Ophelia remained a hurricane for over two days, reaching an initial
peak intensity of 75 kts at 11/1200 UTC in spite of light to moderate
westerly shear and dry air to the west of the cyclone. During this time
Ophelia's northeasterly motion slowed as the storm was blocked by high
pressure to the north. Between around 10/0600 and 12/0600 UTC the
hurricane described a small clockwise loop. The easternmost point of
the loop came around 11/1200 UTC when the hurricane was centered about
220 nm east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, and a like distance
south of Cape Hatteras. After this, Ophelia drifted to the southwest,
then took off toward the west-northwest, completing the loop and getting
into a position to pose a threat to the southeastern U. S. coastline.
Indeed, a hurricane watch for portions of the coast had been issued as
early as 1800 UTC on the 10th in the anticipation that Ophelia would
eventually move in that direction.
Phase 3 - Close Approach to the North Carolina Coast
----------------------------------------------------
The graphic depicting this phase of Ophelia's life may be found at
the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-16L-OPHELIA-C.gif>
Shortly after completing the clockwise loop, Ophelia weakened once
more to below hurricane intensity. At 12/1500 UTC the cyclone was down-
graded to a 60-kt tropical storm. The latest reconnaissance flight had
found a peak 700-mb FLW of only 63 kts, and the discussion bulletin noted
that 60 kts might be generous given the current lack of deep convection.
Given that Ophelia had moved little over the previous couple of days, it
was thought that upwelling and cooling of the SSTs was the most likely
reason for the storm's temporary decline. Ophelia's slow northwesterly
motion continued through 13/0600 UTC, after which the storm took an
abrupt northward jog. By the afternoon of the 13th Ophelia was once
more becoming better organized with inner core convection increasing in
both coverage and intensity as it continued trekking northward toward the
North Carolina coast.
The discussion bulletin accompanying the 13/2100 UTC advisory noted
that a peak 700-mb FLW of 76 kts had been found in the northwestern
quadrant with Doppler velocity data from Wilmington indicating winds as
high as 80 kts at 3000 m in the same quadrant. Normally, these winds
would support hurricane force at the surface, but the observations had
been made in the vicinity of NOAA buoy 41004, which had been reporting
sustained surface winds of only 43 kts. However, at 2130 UTC a special
advisory was issued, upgrading Ophelia to a hurricane for an
unprecedented fourth time. This was based on SFMR winds of 63-66 kts
north-northwest of the center beneath 1220 m FLWs of 83 kts. The center
of Hurricane Ophelia was then located about 95 nm south of Wilmington,
North Carolina, moving north-northwestward at 3 kts. The hurricane
continued to approach the coast on the 14th, but the track began to
increasingly turn toward the northeast.
Hurricane Ophelia reached its peak intensity of 75 kts for the second
time at 14/1800 UTC when the 50-nm diameter eye was centered only about
35 nm southeast of Wilmington. The storm's motion had by this time
become north-northeasterly at 6 kts. The center of the hurricane was
forecast to make landfall near Cape Lookout, but Ophelia's track
continued to bend eastward and the center never actually made landfall
(defined as the exact center of the eye crossing a coastline).
Nonetheless, the northern eyewall did sweep across the Outer Banks as
Ophelia's center passed to the south. Late on the 14th Cape Lookout
reported a 10-min mean wind of 64 kts. The peak MSW of 75 kts was
maintained for 18 hours, then began to slowly decline. Ophelia was
downgraded to tropical storm status for the fourth time at 0000 UTC on
16 September while moving erratically eastward about 40 nm south-
southeast of Cape Hatteras. A few hours later the storm was drifting
northward about 35 nm east of Cape Hatteras, but by 1200 UTC Ophelia's
track had become north-northeasterly as it slowly began to accelerate
away from the North Carolina Outer Banks.
During the hour preceding 15/0100 UTC Cape Lookout reported a
10-min avg wind of 58 kts with a peak gust of 75 kts. Between 1400
and 1500 UTC on the 15th there was an unofficial report of a sustained
wind of 57 kts with a peak gust of 72 kts at Cape Hatteras, while
nearby Hatteras Village reported a sustained wind of 56 kts with a
peak gust of 83 kts around the same time. Ophelia at the time was
centered less than 30 nm south-southwest of Cape Hatteras. Later,
during the evening, a NOAA buoy located at Diamond Shoals reported
a gust of 74 kts.
Phase 4 - North Carolina to Nova Scotia
---------------------------------------
The graphic depicting this phase of Ophelia's life may be found at
the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-16L-OPHELIA-D.gif>
As Ophelia began to move away from the North Carolina coast it was
becoming embedded in the westerlies, and as a high-pressure system to
the east was forecast to weaken, the storm was correspondingly forecast
to accelerate toward the northeast. By 17/0000 UTC the storm's motion
had become northeasterly at 14 kts and twelve hours later Ophelia had
accelerated to 18 kts. The MSW was decreased to 50 kts at 16/1200 UTC
since the cyclone presented a sheared appearance with deep convection
mainly in the northeastern quadrant. Also, a reconnaissance plane
found a peak 850-mb FLW of 61 kts. However, during the afternoon Ophelia
had become better organized once more with convection making attempts
to wrap around the west side of the LLCC. The CP had fallen to 993 mb
(from 996 mb earlier in the day) and a NOAA plane measured 73-kt winds
at 700 mb and the SFMR measured 59-kt surface winds. Furthermore,
the first-ever successful aerosonde flight into the core of a tropical
cyclone reported 74-kt winds at 760 meters. So based on all this data,
the intensity was increased slightly to 55 kts at 16/2100 UTC.
At that time the storm was centered about 310 nm south-southwest of
Nantucket Island, and Ophelia made its closest approach to the Massa-
chusetts coast around 1200 UTC on 17 September when it passed about
83 nm south of Nantucket. By late morning of the 17th Ophelia had
moved north of the Gulf Stream and was beginning to slowly lose tropical
characteristics as it sped toward Nova Scotia. By 2100 UTC the cyclone's
center was about 180 nm southwest of Halifax and moving northeastward
at 21 kts. NHC issued their final advisory on Ophelia at 18/0300 UTC
with the center located about 40 nm south-southwest of Halifax and
moving northeastward at 25 kts. By this time there was no deep
convection within 120 nm of the center and SSTs were around 16-17 C,
so the system was classified as an extratropical cyclone with peak
winds of around 45 kts.
Phase 5 - Extratropical Ophelia
-------------------------------
The graphic depicting this phase of Ophelia's life may be found at
the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-16L-OPHELIA-E.gif>
Based upon information released by the Canadian Hurricane Centre and
sent to the author by Chris Fogarty, the center of Ophelia tracked just
south of western Nova Scotia and Halifax and made landfall as a post-
tropical storm near Sheet Harbour, Halifax County, with a MSW over water
of 45 kts. The center went over Sydney and then moved through south-
eastern Newfoundland during the evening of 18 September. The remnants
of Ophelia continued to track eastward across the North Atlantic as they
slowly weakened, being located several hundred miles west of Ireland
when referenced for the last time in OPC marine warnings at 20/1200 UTC.
Following is an extended track for the cyclone as it crossed the
Canadian Maritimes, prepared by Chris Fogarty of the Canadian Hurricane
Centre. This was not available to the author when the companion cyclone
tracks file was prepared--the extratropical portion of Ophelia in that
file was based strictly on the OPC warnings. John Diebolt's graphic
for the post-tropical Ophelia were based upon the OPC positions and
does not depict the center crossing Nova Scotia as it actually did.
LAT LON mmddhh MSW MSLP
---------------------------------------------------
43.90 -64.00 091803 45 998 Tropical storm
44.50 -62.90 091806 45 999 Extratropical
45.20 -61.80 091809 45 999 "
46.15 -60.10 091812 40 999 "
46.80 -58.00 091815 45 999 "
47.40 -56.00 091818 45 998 "
47.90 -54.70 091821 45 998 "
48.40 -53.40 091900 45 998 "
Chris Fogarty has prepared a rather thorough report on Ophelia which
can be accessed at the following link:
http://www.novaweather.net/Hurricane_Ophelia/Ophelia_report_CHC.pdf>
Additional information can be found at the following site:
http://projects.novaweather.net/work.html>
C. Rainfall Information
-----------------------
A graphic prepared by David Roth of the Hydrometeorological Prediction
Center depicting rainfall amounts recorded in association with Hurricane
Ophelia may be found at the following link:
http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/ophelia2005.html>
D. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
One fatality was attributed to Hurricane Ophelia--a drowning along
the southeastern Florida coast. The storm caused $1.6 billion in
damages in the United States with significant beach erosion from North
Carolina southward to the central Florida coast.
(Report written by Gary Padgett)
ADDENDUM to Hurricane Ophelia Report
------------------------------------
After disseminating Part 1 of the September summary which contained
the report on Hurricane Ophelia, I received an e-mail from Steve Miller
of the Canadian Hurricane Centre informing me that Ophelia was blamed
for one death in Nova Scotia. A man died from injuries sustained when
he fell off his roof while checking for leaks during rain associated
with the passage of Ophelia. The fatality was described by local
policemen as a "weather-related death". (Thanks to Steve for sending
me this information.)
HURRICANE PHILIPPE
(TC-17)
17 - 24 September
--------------------------------------
A. Introduction and Storm Origins
---------------------------------
Philippe was an inconsequential hurricane which formed east of the
Lesser Antilles in mid-September and pursued an unusual almost due
northward track. The most noteworthy fact concerning Philippe was that
after Hurricane Emily in July, it was the only other tropical cyclone of
the 2005 season to reach hurricane intensity east of the Lesser Antilles
and south of latitude 20N--the zone usually considered to be the primary
formation region for major Atlantic hurricanes in active seasons.
The precursor of Philippe was a tropical wave which, by the morning
of 14 September, was showing signs of organization about 1000 nm east-
southeast of the Windward Islands. Upper-level winds had not been
particularly favorable for development during the previous few days,
but the environment was forecast to become more conducive for tropical
cyclogenesis over the next couple of days. The wave continued to very
slowly become better-organized as it trekked westward. By the afternoon
of 16 September it was located about 390 nm east-southeast of the
southern Windward Islands and a surface low-pressure center appeared
to be forming. The system was by now moving west-northwestward and the
development of a tropical depression was considered a distinct
possibility over the next day or so as upper-level winds had become much
more favorable. The first advisory on Tropical Depression 17 was issued
at 1500 UTC on 17 September, placing the center approximately 265 nm
east of the island of Barbados and moving northwestward at 8 kts.
B. Track and Intensity History
------------------------------
The depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Philippe on the third
advisory, issued at 17/0300 UTC. The 35-kt initial intensity was a
blend of 45 kts from TAFB, 35 kts from SAB and 25 kts from AFWA. A
burst of deep convection had developed over and south of the LLCC,
which was estimated to be located about 255 nm east-northeast of
Barbados. Philippe was moving slowly north-northwestward at only
4 kts, roughly parallel to the Lesser Antilles chain, and strengthened
slowly during the first 24 hours after becoming a tropical storm. The
MSW had reached 45 kts by 18/2100 UTC, although the discussion bulletin
noted that a burst of deep convection with cloud tops colder than
-80 C had developed near the circulation center during the previous
two hours. A USAF Hurricane Hunters' plane reached the cyclone around
19/0000 UTC and measured a peak 850-mb FLW of 83 kts in the northeast
eyewall. Also, a dropsonde measured a surface pressure of 988 mb in
the eye, but since the wind was 17 kts, the CP was estimated to be
slightly lower. Based on these findings, Philippe was upgraded to
the season's eighth hurricane at 19/0300 UTC with 65-kt winds. The
cyclone's center was then located about 340 nm east of the Leeward
Islands, still continuing its north-northwestward motion at 7 kts as
it trekked toward a weakness in the subtropical ridge along 60W.
Philippe reached its peak intensity of 70 kts at 20/0300 UTC. Even
though the storm's appearance in satellite imagery had not improved
all that much and banding features were not particularly well-defined,
Dvorak intensity estimates indicated that Philippe had strengthened a
bit. However, the hurricane had no sooner reached its peak than it
began to come under the influence of some westerly shearing due to the
flow at the base of a broad upper-tropospheric trough associated with
the outflow of the intensifying Hurricane Rita to the west. By 1500 UTC
on the 20th the LLCC was becoming exposed and the winds were lowered to
65 kts, and at 2100 UTC Philippe was downgraded to a 55-kt tropical
storm, then located about 265 nm east-northeast of the Leeward Islands.
Philippe's intensity remained pegged at 55 kts for 18 hours, but
eventually westerly shear and subsidence from a large upper-level cyclone
to the west-northwest of the storm led to further weakening. The MSW was
reduced to 45 kts at 21/1500 UTC and continued to fall, reaching minimal
tropical storm intensity by 22/0900 UTC. Philippe's poorly-organized
center at this time was located about 450 nm northeast of the Leeward
Islands, moving toward the north at 10 kts.
Philippe remained a minimal tropical storm for the next 30 hours as
it moved northward at an accelerating pace. By 2100 UTC on the 22nd
the storm was centered about 470 nm southeast of Bermuda and moving
northward at 15 kts. By this time Philippe was a small tropical cyclone
embedded within a broad non-tropical area of low pressure. Indeed, there
was some question as to whether or not Philippe still had a closed
surface wind circulation. During the night of 22-23 September Philippe
made a sharp turn toward the northwest and temporarily accelerated up
to 20-22 kts. By 23/0900 UTC the cyclone's motion had become west-
northwesterly--in the direction of Bermuda--but had slowed a bit to
16 kts. Philippe's center at the time was located about 255 nm east-
southeast of Bermuda. Satellite intensity estimates were 35 kts from
TAFB and 25 kts from SAB. Interestingly, AFWA came in with a 45-kt
subtropical cyclone intensity estimate using the center of the large
LOW much farther to the south.
A precautionary tropical storm watch had been issued for Bermuda, but
this was discontinued at 23/2100 UTC when Philippe was downgraded to
a tropical depression, located about 150 nm south of Bermuda. The
system's track had turned to the west-southwest as it continued to rotate
around the northern periphery of the broader cyclonic circulation to the
south. By 24/0300 UTC all that remained of Philippe was a small swirl
of low clouds and the final advisory was issued.
A graphic depicting the track of Hurricane Philippe may be found at
the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-17L-PHILIPPE.gif>
C. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
No damage or casualties are known to have resulted from Tropical Storm
Philippe.
(Report written by Gary Padgett)
HURRICANE RITA
(TC-18)
18 - 26 September
-------------------------------------
A. Introduction and Storm Origins
---------------------------------
Boasting measurements of 150 kts and 897 mb, Hurricane Rita became
the second Category 5 hurricane of the 2005 season, the first occasion
since 1961 that two storms reached the superlative classification of
the Saffir/Simpson scale. Rita was in several aspects very similar
to the earlier Katrina: both formed in the Bahamas region, both passed
over or near South Florida, both reached Category 5 intensity in the
central Gulf of Mexico, and both made landfall along the northern Gulf
of Mexico coastline. Rita passed through the Florida Straits just
south of the Keys while Katrina had crossed the southern portion of
the Peninsula, and Rita's landfall occurred farther west than the
earlier hurricane, striking extreme western Louisiana and southeastern
Texas. The 897-mb central pressure measured on 21 September was the
third lowest (at the time) ever measured in an Atlantic hurricane,
exceeded only by Hurricane Gilbert of 1988 (888 mb) and the Florida
Keys hurricane of 1935 (892 mb). However, slightly over one month
later Hurricane Wilma would set a new low-pressure record for the
Atlantic basin of 882 mb.
On 15 September an area of disturbed weather was located a couple
hundred miles northeast of Puerto Rico, moving westward at around 9 to
13 kts with no imminent signs of tropical cyclone development. By the
next afternoon a sharp trough of low pressure was producing a large area
of convection north of the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the
Leeward Islands, extending northward into the Atlantic for a few hundred
miles. Thunderstorm activity had become more concentrated about 175 nm
north of the northern Leewards and upper-level winds were gradually
becoming more favorable for development. By midday on the 17th a broad
area of low pressure had developed about 225 nm east of the Turks and
Caicos Islands. During the afternoon and evening the system's organi-
zation continued to improve as it moved west-northwestward at about
9 kts, and the first advisory on Tropical Depression 18 was issued by
TPC/NHC at 0300 UTC on 18 September. The depression, with peak winds
estimated at 25 kts, was centered about 85 nm east-northeast of Grand
Turk Island. In anticipation of the system's intensifying, tropical
storm warnings and a hurricane watch were issued for portions of the
Bahamas.
B. Track and Intensity History
------------------------------
Gradual organization of the depression continued through the night of
17-18 September, and a reconnaissance plane around midday on the 18th
found a CP of 1005 mb and peak FLWs of 45 kts well to the northeast of
the center. These observations, along with ship reports of 30-35 kts,
were the basis for upgrading TD-18 to Tropical Storm Rita at 2100 UTC.
An upper-level LOW over eastern Cuba was causing some southerly shear
which was displacing all the convection to the north of the center.
Rita's center was then located about 310 nm east-southeast of Nassau,
moving west at 9 kts. Based on the track and intensity forecasts, a
hurricane watch was issued for the Florida Keys. The cyclone's
convective organization continued to improve early on 19 September with
convection wrapping to the northwest of the center with more banding
evident. Later in the morning substantial inner core convection had
developed and Rita's winds had reached 60 kts--just shy of hurricane
intensity--by 1800 UTC. The storm at that time was centered only
about 25 nm south-southwest of Georgetown on Great Exuma Island and
about 330 nm east-southeast of Key West, moving west-northwestward
at 12 kts.
Rita remained a strong 60-kt tropical storm for 18 hours as it
continued generally west-northwestward toward the Florida Straits. The
cyclone was upgraded to the season's ninth hurricane at 20/1500 UTC
when the center was located about 65 nm southeast of Key West, Florida.
Doppler radar peak winds at 1500-3000 m were oscillating between 90
and 95 kts with an isolated peak of 100 kts, and dropsondes in the
eyewall supported an intensity of 75 kts with a CP of 982 mb. Rita at
the time was moving due westward at 13 kts south of a deep-layer ridge.
The hurricane wasted no time in intensifying--a special advisory was
issued at 1800 UTC upping the MSW to 85 kts, making Rita a Category 2
hurricane located only about 45 nm south of Key West. A reconnaissance
mission scheduled for early on 21 September was scrubbed due to
electronics problems, but before Rita's eye had moved out of range of
the Key West WSR-88D, winds of 100-115 kts were seen between 2750 and
3960 m, and with a consensus satellite intensity of 115 kts from TAFB,
AFWA and SAB, the intensity was upped to 100 kts at 21/0600 UTC and to
105 kts three hours later. The 21/0900 UTC discussion bulletin noted
that, based on the satellite signature, that figure might be
conservative.
Three hours later, at 21/1200 UTC, Rita had become a very dangerous
Category 4 hurricane with 115-kt winds about 170 nm west of Key West.
Objective T-numbers from both TAFB and CIMSS were already reaching
T7.0, or 140 kts. A reconnaissance plane reached the hurricane around
midday and found that the pressure had fallen significantly, reaching
920 mb around 1753 UTC. A peak 700-mb FLW of 161 kts was measured along
with a surface wind of 146 kts from the SFMR. Thus, at 2100 UTC Rita
was upgraded to the season's second Category 5 hurricane with the MSW
estimated at 145 kts. The extremely dangerous hurricane was then
centered south of the western Florida Panhandle or about 520 nm east-
southeast of Galveston, Texas. Rita was still moving west at 11 kts,
but a gradual turn toward the west-northwest and then northwest was
forecast to occur over the next few days. A hurricane watch was issued
for the western Louisiana coast and portions of the Texas coastline.
Rita's pressure continued to fall--a reconnaissance flight measured
a CP of 899 mb at 21/2309 UTC. However, the surface wind was 32 kts,
indicating that the dropsonde had not hit the center of the eye. Any
CP measurement with the surface wind less than 10 kts is usually
considered valid, but the general rule of thumb is to decrease the CP
by 1 mb for every 10 kts of wind above that value. Hence, Rita's minimum
pressure was estimated at 897 mb--at the time the third lowest ever
measured in an Atlantic hurricane. (As noted earlier, before the season
was over this would be nudged to fourth lowest.) Even though the highest
700-mb FLW around this time was only 157 kts, with ODT values averaging
around T7.3-T7.4 (149 to 152 kts), the intensity was bumped up to
150 kts. At the time of its peak intensity Hurricane Rita was centered
approximately 500 nm east-southeast of Galveston, moving west at 8 kts.
Hurricane force winds extended outward from the center 60 nm in the
eastern quadrants while gales covered a zone 300 nm in diameter.
Both Katrina and Rita intensified into strong Category 5 hurricanes
while nearing and passing over the Loop Current, a region of high oceanic
heat content with SSTs of 30-31 C. In the case of Rita, the upper-level
outflow pattern was just about perfect with a poleward outflow channel
converging into an upper-level LOW northeast of the Lesser Antilles,
and equatorward outflow channel converging into an upper-level LOW over
the Bay of Campeche, and a third weak outflow channel developing to
the northwest. Further intensification was considered a possibility
during the next 12 hours or so while Rita would still be located
over the Loop Current unless inhibited by an eyewall replacement cycle.
A reconnaissance plane around 22/0600 UTC found that the CP had remained
near the 897-mb minimum with the peak FLW being 165 kts in the northeast
eyewall, which correlates with a 150-kt surface MSW. However, by late
morning of the 22nd the CP had risen to 915 mb and the winds were brought
down to 145 kts. The dangerous hurricane by this time had turned to
the anticipated west-northwesterly track toward the upper Texas coast.
A hurricane warning was issued at 1500 UTC for the coast from Port
O'Connor, Texas, to Morgan City, Louisiana.
Extremely intense hurricanes rarely maintain their peak intensity for
very long, and Rita was no exception. The MSW was lowered to 130 kts
at 22/1800 UTC, making Rita a Category 4 hurricane once more, and the
cyclone continued to slowly weaken as it left the "bath water" of the
Gulf Loop Current and moved further west-northwestward into a less
optimum environment. Initial landfall forecasts called for the hurricane
to move inland near the Galveston-Houston area, and thousands of
residents evacuated, causing massive traffic jams on the freeways.
Fortunately, however, Rita's course shifted ever so slightly more to the
northwest, taking aim on the Texas-Louisiana border, thus averting the
specter of yet another major U. S. metropolitan area being devastated
by a hurricane. The central pressure continued to slowly rise on the
23rd, reaching 931 mb around midday. The 23/1800 UTC intermediate
advisory reduced the MSW to 110 kts, making Rita an upper-end Category 3
hurricane. The storm was large, however. During the morning a dropsonde
released by a reconnaissance aircraft measured a 56-kt surface wind
about 120 nm west of the eye. Hurricane-force winds now covered an area
about 120 nm in diameter.
The eye of large, severe Hurricane Rita moved onshore near Sabine Pass
around 0900 UTC on 24 September with the MSW estimated at 105 kts and
with a CP of 937 mb. Once inland Rita predictably began to weaken
rapidly. The cyclone was downgraded to a 55-kt tropical storm at 1800
UTC while passing between Shreveport, Louisiana, and Lufkin, Texas.
Following landfall, Rita's track became northerly, then began to bend
toward the north-northeast. NHC issued their final advisory, downgrading
Rita to a tropical depression at 0300 UTC on 25 September with the center
located about 65 km north of Shreveport. HPC continued to track the
weakening cyclone as it moved up the Mississippi River valley and then
across Illinois into Indiana. The final HPC advisory at 0900 UTC on the
26th placed Rita's remnants about 130 km north-northwest of Indianapolis,
Indiana. The system was forecast to be absorbed by a frontal wave within
a few hours.
A graphic depicting the track of Hurricane Rita may be found at the
following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/atlantic/BT-IMAGES/2005-18L-RITA.gif>
C. Meteorological Observations
------------------------------
Around 23/2000 UTC an elevated station at Marsh Island, Louisiana,
reported sustained winds of 51 kts with gusts to 68 kts. During the
late afternoon of the 23rd, Galveston, Texas, reported winds of 32 kts
with gusts to 47 kts. Shortly before 0500 UTC on 24 September an AWS
at Sea Rim State Park, Texas, reported sustained winds of 61 kts with a
peak gust of 72 kts, and an AWS at Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana, reported
a gust of 85 kts. During the succeeding hour this same station reported
sustained winds of hurricane force with a gust to 97 kts. Shortly before
24/0700 UTC the AWS at Sea Rim State Park reported sustained winds of
68 kts gusting to 88 kts. Between 0800 and 0900 UTC an instrumented
tower in Port Arthur, Texas, run by the Florida Coastal Monitoring
Program, reported sustained winds of 79 kts with a gust of 101 kts.
Following landfall, around 1200 UTC, a ham radio report indicated that
Jasper, Texas, had recently measured a wind gust of 74 kts.
While Rita was passing just south of the Florida Keys as it was
intensifying to hurricane intensity, Sombrero Key reported sustained
winds of 51 kts with gusts to 63 kts around 20/1500 UTC. During the
afternoon of the 20th Sand Key reported sustained winds of 52 kts with
a gust of 80 kts, while Varadero, Cuba, measured gusts to 52 kts as Rita
passed to the north. During the hour preceding 21/0000 UTC a gust to
61 kts was reported at Key West International Airport while Dry Tortugas
reported sustained winds of 46 kts, gusting to 54 kts. Winds continued
to increase over Dry Tortugas during the succeeding hours. The 21/0600
UTC intermediate advisory noted that the AWS there had reported winds
of 57 kts with a gust to 76 kts before contact with the station was lost.
A graphic prepared by David Roth of the Hydrometeorological Prediction
Center depicting rainfall amounts recorded in association with Hurricane
Rita may be found at the following link:
http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/rita2005.html>
D. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
As Rita passed south of the Florida Keys it downed trees and produced
storm tides of up to 1.5 meters in portions of the island chain, flooding
portions of U. S. Highway 1 and many other streets, as well as several
homes and businesses.
Rita was very destructive to southwestern Louisiana and southeastern
Texas. Storm surge flooding and wind damage were responsible for damage
estimated in excess of $9 billion. Many small communities south of
Lake Charles, Louisiana, were essentially wiped out. There were six
fatalities attributed to Hurricane Rita.
(Report written by Gary Padgett)
*************************************************************************
NORTHEAST PACIFIC (NEP) - North Pacific Ocean East of Longitude 180
Activity for September: 2 tropical storms
2 hurricanes
2 intense hurricanes
Sources of Information
----------------------
Most of the information presented below was obtained from the
various tropical cyclone products issued by the Tropical Prediction
Center/National Hurricane Center (TPC/NHC) in Miami, Florida (or the
Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) in Honolulu, Hawaii, for
locations west of longitude 140W): discussions, public advisories,
forecast/advisories, tropical weather outlooks, special tropical
disturbance statements, etc. Some additional information may have
been gleaned from the monthly summaries prepared by the hurricane
specialists and available on TPC/NHC's website. All references to
sustained winds imply a 1-minute averaging period unless otherwise
noted.
Northeast Pacific Tropical Activity for September
-------------------------------------------------
The Northeast Pacific basin came very much alive during September.
No fewer than six tropical storms developed with four reaching hurricane
intensity. Of the four hurricanes, two became major hurricanes--Jova
in the Central North Pacific and Kenneth east of 140W. The September
averages over the period 1971-2004 are 3.5 NS, 2.2 H, and 1.1 IH with
an average NTC of 25%. The NTC generated by the September, 2005, storms
was 49% (this includes a slight amount of NTC generated by Otis during
the first few days of October). None of the cyclones made landfall,
either in Mexico or Hawaii. The remnants of Jova and Kenneth contributed
to above-normal rainfall in Hawaii, and late in the month Hurricane Otis
posed a threat to the southern Baja California Peninsula, but the storm
eventually weakened to a depression and remained offshore.
Reports follow on the cyclones. The reports on Jova, Kenneth, Lidia
and Max were written by Kevin Boyle. A special thanks to Kevin for
his assistance.
HURRICANE JOVA
(TC-10E)
12 - 25 September
-------------------------------------
Hurricane Jova was the first of two quite long-lived hurricanes that
co-existed in the Northeast Pacific Basin during the month of September.
The pre-Jova disturbance was initially mentioned in NHC's Tropical
Weather Outlook issued at 2231 UTC 8 September as a disorganized area of
showers and thunderstorms located about 400 nm south-southwest of
Acapulco, Mexico. The disturbance gradually became better organized and
developed into Tropical Depression 10E at 12/0300 UTC while located
about 550 nm south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip of
the Baja California Peninsula. Movement was predominantly towards the
west, south of a deep-layer ridge. The surrounding environment was not
wholly conducive for intensification and, as a result, TD-10E was not
upgraded to Tropical Storm Jova until 15/0300 UTC. By this time the
cyclone had moved several hundred miles to the west and was centred
roughly 1150 nm southwest of Cabo San Lucas. Tropical Storm Jova
continued to intensify and became a 65-kt hurricane at 16/0900 UTC, the
fifth of the season. At this time, Jova was centred approximately
1475 nm west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas. Continuing on a west to
west-southwesterly track, Jova strengthened with the MSW reaching
90 kts by 1500 UTC on 17 September. This intensity was maintained for
the next two days.
Hurricane Jova turned sharply to a northwesterly track just prior to
entering CPHC's area of responsibility at 0900 UTC 18 September. The
storm finally reached its maximum intensity of 100 kts, with an estimated
minimum CP of 960 mb, at 19/2100 UTC. Hurricane Jova maintained its
peak strength for the next 2 1/2 days but began to weaken markedly on
22 September as it continued northwestward over progressively cooler SSTs
and into an increasingly hostile wind shear environment. Jova was
downgraded to a tropical storm at 23/0300 UTC and by late on 23 September
the strong mid and upper-level southwesterly winds had completely
exposed the LLCC. Jova was downgraded to a tropical depression at
24/0300 UTC as it changed to a more westerly heading and became
increasingly influenced by the low-level easterly flow. The final CPHC
advisory was issued at 25/0300 UTC and Jova dissipated later that same
day a little over 200 nm northeast of Honolulu, Hawaii.
A graphic depicting the track of Hurricane Jova may be found at the
following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/e_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-10E-JOVA.gif>
There were no damages or casualties associated with Hurricane Jova.
However, swells from the hurricane produced some high surf on the east-
facing shores of the Hawaiian Islands. Also, the remnants of Jova
brought some locally heavy rainfall to parts of Oahu on 24 September.
(Report written by Kevin Boyle)
HURRICANE KENNETH
(TC-11E)
14 - 30 September
-------------------------------------
A. Storm History
----------------
Hurricane Kenneth was the second of two long-lived tropical cyclones
which existed simultaneously in the Northeast Pacific during September.
Kenneth's progenitor was first mentioned as an area of disturbed weather
in NHC's Tropical Weather Outlook issued at 0429 UTC 14 September. At
that time it was located about 850 nm south-southwest of the southern
tip of Baja California and just a little over 435 nm east-southeast of
Tropical Depression 10E. The disturbance quickly became better organized
and became Tropical Depression 11E at 14/2100 UTC while located about
800 nm southwest of Cabo San Lucas. Strengthening continued, and TD-11E
was upgraded to Tropical Storm Kenneth at 15/0900 UTC. Moving west-
northwestwards south of a mid-level ridge, Kenneth was upgraded to a
65-kt hurricane at 0300 UTC 16 September while centred approximately
875 nm southwest of Cabo San Lucas.
Despite some northerly shear, Kenneth continued to strengthen with
its winds reaching 110 kts at 17/0900 UTC. This made Kenneth the first
Northeast Pacific cyclone to reach Category 3 status this season, and
the only major hurricane east of 140W. (Jova's reign as a major
hurricane occurred west of 140W in the Central North Pacific). The
intensification trend leveled off slightly later on the 17th, but resumed
on the 18th with Kenneth reaching its maximum intensity of 115 kts at
1500 UTC 18 September. The CP at this time was estimated at 948 mb, and
the Category 4 hurricane was centred approximately 1225 nm west-southwest
of Cabo San Lucas. Kenneth began to weaken on 19 September as a result
of northerly shear emanating from Hurricane Jova's upper-level anti-
cyclone. In addition, Kenneth had drifted into a col, resulting in the
storm becoming virtually stationary. A very slow west-northwestward
drift began on 20 September, and after further weakening occurred,
Kenneth was downgraded to a 55-kt tropical storm at 20/2100 UTC.
Tropical Storm Kenneth underwent several fluctuations in intensity
over the next four days while drifting slowly westward. However, the
vertical wind shear that had been plaguing Kenneth lessened, and the
tropical cyclone was able to reach hurricane strength for the second
time at 0300 UTC 25 September. Kenneth was at that time positioned
very close to the 140th meridian about 925 nm east-southeast of Hilo,
Hawaii, but due to its slow, erratic south-southwesterly movement, it
took another day for the storm to finally cross into the CPHC's area of
warning responsibility.
The first advisory issued by CPHC at 0900 UTC 26 September was the
last classifying Kenneth as a hurricane, and the storm was downgraded
to a tropical storm at 26/1500 UTC. The system turned to a northwesterly
course on 27 September before changing back to a west or west-
northwesterly track on 29 September. During this period, Kenneth
weakened further and was downgraded to a tropical depression at
29/1500 UTC. Kenneth dissipated just east of Big Island of Hawaii on
30 September with CPHC issuing the final advisory at 2100 UTC.
A graphic depicting the track of Hurricane Kenneth may be found at
the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/e_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-11E-KENNETH.gif>
The remnants of Kenneth brought some locally heavy rainfall to eastern
parts of the Big Island. The heavy rains spread to other parts of
Hawaii on 1 October, notably the islands of Oahu and Kauai. There were
no reports of damages or casualties related to Hurricane Kenneth.
B. Hawaiian Rainfall Report
---------------------------
The information below was extracted from the following link:
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/hydro/pages/oct05sum.html>
The first significant heavy rain event of the month was a
continuation of heavy rains that began on 30 September resulting from
the low-level remnant of Hurricane Kenneth passing beneath a strong
upper-level low pressure system. Very intense rains fell over portions
of the Koolau Range on Oahu during the night of 1 October, causing flash
flooding on Kaukonahua Stream and the overflow of Lake Wilson at Wahiawa
Dam. Sufficient water came over the spillway to force the evacuation of
Otake Camp in Waialua. The heavy rains shifted southeastward and focused
on Nuuanu and Kalihi Valleys, producing 6 to 12 inches of flowing water
on Pali Highway and a few reports of homes flooded by heavy runoff.
Damage estimates from the flooding were not available. Notable Oahu
rain totals included just over 7 inches at Mililani and Waiawa and
10.25 inches at Nuuanu. At one point the Nuuanu gauge recorded
1.6 inches in 15 minutes and 4.11 inches in one hour. Thunderstorms
over eastern and central Kauai also produced very heavy rains during the
night of 1 October with a peak 6-hour total of 6.17 inches recorded at
Mount Waialeale. Flash flooding occurred on Hanalei River which forced
the closure of Kuhio Highway at the Hanalei Bridge. Rapid water level
rises also occurred on the Wailua River and the Hanapepe River, though no
significant damages were reported along these waterways. (Note: To
convert rainfall amounts in inches to millimetres, multiply by 25.4.)
(Report written by Kevin Boyle)
TROPICAL STORM LIDIA
(TC-12E)
17 - 19 September
----------------------------------------
AND
HURRICANE MAX
(TC-13E)
18 - 22 September
-------------------------------------
A. Tropical Storm Lidia
-----------------------
Tropical Storm Lidia formed from an area of disturbed weather located
approximately 750 nm south of Baja California on 16 September. The
disturbance became better organized and the first advisory package was
issued on Tropical Depression 12E at 1500 UTC 17 September, placing
the centre about 700 nm south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas. The system
was upgraded to Tropical Storm Lidia at 17/2100 UTC, but because Lidia
formed in close proximity to the larger pre-Max disturbance located at
that time roughly 400 nm to the northeast, further development was never
deemed likely. A maximum intensity of 40-kt was briefly attained at
18/1500 UTC before Tropical Storm Lidia began to weaken. The tropical
cyclone was downgraded to a tropical depression at 18/2100 UTC, and Lidia
had been incorporated into the circulation of Tropical Storm Max by early
on 19 September.
B. Hurricane Max
----------------
Hurricane Max emanated from the large tropical disturbance located a
few hundred miles to the northeast of the much smaller circulation of
Tropical Storm Lidia. TPC/NHC issued a special advisory on Tropical
Depression 13E at 1800 UTC 18 September, locating the centre
approximately 525 nm south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, and upgraded the
system to Tropical Storm Max three hours later. The tropical cyclone
initially moved towards the west-northwest before turning to a north-
westerly heading. After absorbing Tropical Storm Lidia early on
19 September, Max strengthened and became a hurricane at 20/0300 UTC,
peaking at 70 kts at 20/1500 UTC while located approximately 550 nm
west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja. However, its north-
westward track southwest of a large HIGH centred near Texas soon brought
the tropical cyclone over progressively cooler SSTs, and Max was down-
graded to a tropical storm at 21/0900 UTC. As steering currents
slackened, the system slowed and turned westward. Max ceased to exist
as a tropical cyclone at 22/1500 UTC after NHC downgraded it to tropical
depression intensity. The final TPC/NHC advisory, issued at this time,
placed the remnant LOW about 700 nm west of Cabo San Lucas.
Graphics depicting the tracks of Tropical Storm Lidia and Hurricane
Max may be found at the following links:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/e_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-12E-LIDIA.gif>
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/e_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-13E-MAX.gif>
There were no damages or casualties reported from either Tropical
Storm Lidia or Hurricane Max.
(Report written by Kevin Boyle)
TROPICAL STORM NORMA
(TC-14E)
23 - 27 September
----------------------------------------
The origins of the fifth tropical storm of the great September out-
break can be traced to an area of disturbed weather which formed on
19 September several hundred miles south of Acapulco, Mexico. Conditions
were not particularly favorable for development initially but were fore-
cast to improve as the system moved west-northwestward over the next
few days. By early on the 22nd convective activity had become better
organized and a tropical depression appeared to be forming. A special
advisory package was issued at 23/0500 UTC, upgrading the disturbance
to Tropical Depression 14E. The system was then located about 350 nm
southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, moving northwestward at about 7 kts.
A large burst of convection had developed near and to the west of the
tight LLCC, and Data-T numbers using a shear pattern were at least
T2.5. The depression continued to become better organized and was
upgraded to Tropical Storm Norma at 0900 UTC.
A large mid-level HIGH centered over Texas provided the steering for
Norma throughout its lifetime. Norma struggled with persistent
easterly shear and was unable to attain hurricane intensity as had its
predecessor, Hurricane Max. The cyclone intensified slowly and reached
its peak intensity of 55 kts at 1800 UTC on 24 September while centered
approximately 400 nm slightly west of due south of the southern tip of
the Baja California Peninsula. Banding had improved and the LLCC was
estimated to be closer to the middle of the cold convective cloud mass.
Dvorak ratings from both TAFB and SAB had also increased to T3.5--55 kts.
However, six hours later the easterly shear had resulted in a decrease
in Norma's organization and the MSW was reduced to 50 kts. The slow
decline in intensity continued as Norma passed about midway between
Clarion Island and Socorro Island early on the 26th. Norma was down-
graded to a tropical depression at 26/2100 UTC, and the final advisory
was issued at 0600 UTC on 27 September, placing the remnant LOW's center
about 350 nm west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas.
A graphic depicting the track of Tropical Storm Norma may be found
at the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/e_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-14E-NORMA.gif>
No damage or casualties are known to have resulted from Tropical
Storm Norma.
(Report written by Gary Padgett)
HURRICANE OTIS
(TC-15E)
28 September - 3 October
--------------------------------------------
The final tropical cyclone of September, and the final named storm of
the 2005 Eastern North Pacific season, had its origins within an area of
low pressure on 24 September which was producing showers and thunder-
storms along the Mexican coast from Acapulco northwestward to Manzanillo
and adjacent Pacific waters. No imminent tropical cyclone formation was
expected due to the close proximity to land, but locally heavy rainfall
was considered a possibility in the nearby mountainous areas. The
disturbance moved very slowly westward over the next few days, and in
addition to the inhibiting influence of the Mexican landmass, upper-level
winds were strong and unfavorable for tropical cyclone development. By
the morning of the 27th, however, the system was showing signs of
increased organization and was beginning to pull away from the coast to
the south-southeast of Manzanillo. (Note: According to TPC/NHC's
end-of-season summary, the pre-Otis disturbance was related to a tropical
wave which had left the coast of Africa on 9 September and may have been
the same wave which spawned Atlantic Hurricane Philippe.)
Organization had improved enough by early morning of 28 September that
advisories were begun on Tropical Depression 15E, located about 140 nm
south-southwest of Manzanillo. The depression gradually became better
organized while moving slowly westward, and was upgraded to Tropical
Storm Otis at 29/0900 UTC while located approximately 200 nm southwest
of Manzanillo. A QuikScat pass at 29/0130 UTC had supported 30 kts with
a couple of uncertain 35-kt vectors in convection west of the center.
There had subsequently been an increase in deep convection over the
center, and the 0600 UTC classifications from TAFB and SAB were T2.5/2.5.
Shortly after being upgraded, Otis began to move on a northwesterly track
around the southwestern periphery of a large mid-level ridge located over
northern Mexico.
Otis gradually intensified and was upgraded to a hurricane at 0900 UTC
on 30 September while located roughly 135 nm south-southwest of Cabo San
Lucas on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. The upgrade
was based on objective and subjective Dvorak ratings of T4.0 as well as
the appearance of a ragged eye in infrared and microwave imagery. Otis
reached its peak intensity of 90 kts at 0900 UTC on 1 October while
centered about 125 nm west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas. By this time
steering currents had become weak and Otis was drifting slowly northwest-
ward. For a few days the track forecasts consistently recurved Otis and
carried it inland across the western Baja California Peninsula, but this
never materialized. The storm drifted erratically for a couple of days
but eventually a north-northwesterly motion set in which carried the
slowly weakening cyclone parallel to the western Baja coastline.
Following its peak intensity early on 1 October, Hurricane Otis began
to slowly weaken as it encountered cooler SSTs and increasing south-
westerly shear. Otis was downgraded to a 60-kt tropical storm at
1200 UTC on 2 October while located about 105 nm west-southwest of Cabo
San Lucas. Otis continued to slowly spin down as it moved further
northward into increasingly cooler waters, and the former hurricane was
reduced to tropical depression status at 1500 UTC on 3 October. The
final TPC/NHC advisory on Otis was issued at 03/2100 UTC and placed the
dissipating center about 160 nm southeast of Punta Eugenia on the western
Baja California Peninsula coastline.
A graphic depicting the track of Hurricane Otis may be found at
the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/e_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-15E-OTIS.gif>
No damage or casualties are known to have resulted from Hurricane
Otis. Due to the potential threat to Mexico, tropical storm and
hurricane warnings were issued for portions of the coastline by the
Mexican government at various times during Otis' lifetime.
(Report written by Gary Padgett)
*************************************************************************
NORTHWEST PACIFIC (NWP) - North Pacific Ocean West of Longitude 180
Activity for September: 3 tropical depressions **
1 tropical storm
3 typhoons
1 super typhoon
** - these systems were treated as tropical depressions by various Asian
warning agencies but not by JTWC
Sources of Information
----------------------
Most of the information presented below is based upon tropical
cyclone warnings and significant tropical weather outlooks issued
by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center of the U. S. Air Force and
Navy (JTWC), located at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In the companion
tropical cyclone tracks file, I normally annotate track coordinates
from some of the various Asian warning centers when their center
positions differ from JTWC's by usually 40-50 nm or more. All
references to sustained winds imply a 1-minute averaging period
unless otherwise noted.
Michael V. Padua of Naga City in the Philippines, owner of the
Typhoon 2000 website, normally sends me cyclone tracks based upon
warnings issued by the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) and the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA). Also, Huang Chunliang of Fuzhou City, China,
sends data taken from synoptic observations around the Northwest
Pacific basin. A very special thanks to Michael and Chunliang for
the assistance they so reliably provide.
Northwest Pacific Tropical Activity for September
-------------------------------------------------
Five named tropical storms and typhoons highlighted an active and,
for China and Vietnam, destructive September. Four of the five tropical
storms reached typhoon intensity with one, Longwang, briefly reaching
the super typhoon classification (per JTWC's analysis). Typhoon Khanun
pursued a steady northwestward track from deep in the Philippine Sea
through the southern Ryukyus, eventually making landfall in China less
than 200 nm south of Shanghai. Khanun was responsible for 16 deaths in
China with economic losses exceeding 9 billion yuan. Tropical Storm
Vicente formed in the South China Sea and moved westward into Vietnam.
This weaker tropical cyclone was responsible for at least 20 fatalities
in Vietnam and four in China. Another South China Sea tropical
depression in mid-September also moved westward into Vietnam and
continued as an identifiable LLCC across southeastern Asia, emerging
into the Bay of Bengal where it eventually strengthened into Cyclonic
Storm Pyarr. A report on Pyarr was included in Part 2 of the September
summary.
Typhoon Damrey formed just off northern Luzon and moved westward
across the northern South China Sea, making devastating strikes in
Hainan Island, China, and northern Vietnam. The storm was blamed for
29 deaths in China and over 100 in Vietnam. Typhoon Saola was the one
benign tropical cyclone of September--it recurved southeast of Japan and
did not affect any land except for a few small Japanese islands.
Finally, at the end of the month, Super Typhoon Longwang formed near
the northern Marianas and followed a rather steady westerly course,
striking central Taiwan and continuing across the Strait of Taiwan where
it made a deadly and destructive landfall in Fujian Province, China.
Longwang was responsible for 147 deaths in the province along with
economic losses exceeding 7 billion yuan. Reports on all the named
cyclones, written by Kevin Boyle with additional data sent by Huang
Chunliang, follow.
In addition to the above-mentioned systems, two other systems were
classified as tropical depressions by one or more of the Asian warning
agencies. One weak circulation well east of the southern Marianas on
16 September was classified as a tropical depression by the Central
Weather Bureau of Taiwan only. This system's NRL Invest number was 92W.
Another system (NRL Invest 90W) in the South China Sea near and just off
the west-central Luzon coast was classified as a weak tropical depression
by several TCWCs on 15-16 September, but not by JTWC or PAGASA. The LLCC
as well as associated convection was eventually absorbed into the
circulation of Tropical Storm Vicente further west. This depression,
however, brought significant rainfall amounts to the Philippines.
Following are some rainfall observations from the Philippines compiled
and sent to the author by Huang Chunliang. Only 24-hour amounts
>= 100 mm are listed:
CATANDUANES RADAR (WMO98447, 13.98N/124.32E) 150.2 mm [14/00-15/00Z]
CATBALOGAN (WMO98548, 11.78N/124.88E) 130.0 mm [14/00-15/00Z]
CASIGURAN (WMO98336, 16.28N/122.12E) 132.0 mm [15/00-16/00Z]
ROMBLON (WMO98536, 12.58N/122.27E) 102.9 mm [15/00-16/00Z]
BALER RADAR (WMO98334, 15.75N/121.63E) 139.5 mm [16/00-17/00Z]
INFANTA (WMO98434, 14.75N/121.65E) 122.8 mm [16/00-17/00Z]
Michael Padua of Naga City, Philippines, also sent me some rainfall
measurements he had taken with his weather station. On 15 September
local time (14/1600 - 15/1600 UTC) 167.9 mm of rain were recorded, and
for 16 September (15/1600 - 16/1600 UTC) 32.5 mm were recorded, for a
storm total of 200.4 mm. (The coordinates of Naga City are 13.6N/
123.2E.)
ADDENDA to the August Tropical Cyclone Summary
----------------------------------------------
Following are reports compiled and sent by Huang Chunliang detailing
the effects of Tropical Storm Sanvu and Typhoon Talim on China. They
were unavailable at the time the August summary "went to press".
A. Sanvu Report
---------------
{Part I} Landfalls
==================
According to the NMCC warnings, Severe Tropical Storm 0510 (Sanvu)
passed over Nan'ao Island around 13/0330 UTC with a MSW of 30 m/s
(60 kts) and a CP of 975 hPa, before making landfall over the mainland
near Yanhong Town, Chenghai District, Shantou City, Guangdong Province,
around 13/0445 UTC with a MSW of 28 m/s (55 kts) and a CP of 982 hPa.
{Part II} Meteorological Obs from Guangdong and Fujian Provinces
================================================================
1. Wind Obs
-----------
Winds of Beaufort Force 8 to 10, gusting to Force 11 to 12 were
reported in eastern Guangdong and coastal Fujian. Yun'ao Town, Nan'ao
County, Shantou City, reported the highest gusts in Guangdong, topping
36 m/s, while Dongshan County, Zhangzhou City, recorded the strongest
gusts in Fujian, peaking at 35 m/s.
2. Rainfall Obs
---------------
During the 84-hr period ending at 15/1200 UTC, Liangshan Reservoir
(located in Zhangpu County, Zhangzhou City) reported the highest
rainfall amount in Fujian Province, accumulating to 632 mm. Also,
Chaoyang City (WMO59318), a sub-city of Shantou City, reported 439 mm
during the same period----the highest value in Guangdong Province.
The 1-hr extremum of 118 mm during the storm was reported by station
Wufeng (located in Tong'an District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province).
{Part III} Rainfall Obs from Hunan and Jiangxi Provinces
========================================================
During the 24-hr period ending at 15/0000 UTC, rains > 100 mm were
recorded in 6 counties/cities in Hunan Province with Yiyang City
reporting the highest amount of 187 mm.
During the 48-hr period ending at 15/0000 UTC, rains > 100 mm were
recorded in 7 counties/cities in Jiangxi Province with Jinggangshan City
reporting the highest amount of 144 mm.
{Part IV} Daily Top-5 Rainfall Obs from Taiwan Province
=======================================================
[11/1600-12/1600Z]
------------------
Ranking Station ID City/County Rainfall
------------------------------------------------------------
01 CWB C0T82 Hualien County 567.0 mm
02 CWB C1S66 Taitung County 374.5 mm
03 CWB C1T95 Hualien County 366.0 mm
04 CWB C1T90 Hualien County 354.5 mm
05 CWB C1T94 Hualien County 353.0 mm
[12/1600-13/1600Z]
------------------
Ranking Station ID City/County Rainfall
------------------------------------------------------------
01 CWB C0T82 Hualien County 203.0 mm
02 CWB C1V19 Kaohsiung County 186.5 mm
03 CWB C1Z02 Hualien County 179.5 mm
04 CWB C1Z01 Hualien County 177.5 mm
05 CWB C1T83 Hualien County 167.0 mm
{Part V} Meteorological Obs from Hong Kong S.A.R
================================================
http://www.weather.gov.hk/informtc/sanvu/sanvu.htm>
{Part VI} Damage and Casualties
===============================
STS Sanvu caused 4.06 billion yuan of direct economic losses in
Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei and Jiangxi Provinces and was responsible for
18 deaths as well as 11 persons missing in the provinces, where
4,396,000 residents were affected by the storm.
{Part VII} References
=====================
http://www.nmc.gov.cn>
http://ncc.cma.gov.cn>
http://www.grmc.gov.cn>
http://www.cwb.gov.tw>
http://www.weather.gov.hk>
B. Talim Report
---------------
{Part I} Landfalls
==================
According to the CWB warnings, the LOW-LEVEL CENTER of Moderate
Typhoon 0513 (Talim) made landfall over Taiwan Island between Ilan and
Hualien Counties around 31/2330 UTC with a MSW of 40 m/s (80 kts) and
a CP of 955 hPa after making a small counter-clockwise loop, resembling
the one drawn by its predecessor (Haitang), though much smaller this
time, east of the island. It should be noted that the earlier CWB
warnings also indicated that the UPPER-LEVEL CENTER of the typhoon had
already moved inland near Liwu River, Hualien County, around 31/1700 UTC
when Talim was still a Severe Typhoon with a MSW of 51 m/s (100 kts)
and a CP of 925 hPa.
Another interesting profile is that the agency moved the typhoon
rapidly westwards crossing Taiwan Island within 1 hour: at 31/2300 UTC
the low-level center was placed near 24.2N/121.8E (or about 30 km NE of
Hualien), then at 01/0000 UTC, it was located near 24.2N/120.4E (or about
30 km W of Taitung), their explanation being that a new sub-center became
the dominant one off the western coast soon after the former center made
landfall over the eastern coast.
On the other hand, according to the NMCC warnings, Typhoon 0513
(Talim) made first landfall over Taiwan Island near Hualien around
31/2200 UTC with a MSW of 45 m/s (90 kts) and a CP of 950 hPa.
Traversing the island, the typhoon reemerged in the Taiwan Strait around
01/0030 UTC. Final landfall over the mainland near Pinghai Town, Putian
City (to the south of Fuzhou City), Fujian Province, occurred around
01/0630 UTC with a MSW of 35 kts (70 kts) and a CP of 970 hPa being
indicated by the NMCC warnings. Also, there has been another version
concerning Talim's second landfall--the CWB of Taiwan stated that the
typhoon did not make landfall until 01/0800 UTC, when Talim came ashore
near the boundary of Fuzhou and Putian Cities.
{Part II} Meteorological Obs from Taiwan Province
=================================================
1. Peak Sustained Wind & Gust Obs [Aug 31--Sep 1, LST]
------------------------------------------------------
Only those stations that reported sustained winds of gale force or
gusts of typhoon force are given:
Peak SW Peak Gust
Station (mps/Local Date) (mps/Local Date)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
An Bu (WMO46691, Alt 827m) ----/---- 48.5/31st
Taipei (WMO46692/58968, Alt 9m) 14.5/ 1st 36.3/31st
Chu-tzu-hu (WMO46693, Alt 608m) ----/---- 32.8/31st
Keelung (WMO46694, Alt 3m) 22.9/31st 49.3/ 1st
Hualien (WMO46763/59362, Alt 14m) 26.8/ 1st 44.2/ 1st
Suao (WMO46706, Alt 3m) 31.5/31st 48.4/31st
Ilan (WMO46708, Alt 7m) 23.9/31st 39.5/31st
Penghu (WMO46735, Alt 21m) 17.4/ 1st 30.4/ 1st
Tainan (WMO46741/59358, Alt 14m) 16.4/ 1st 33.0/ 1st
Hengchun (WMO46752, Alt 13m) 15.0/ 1st 32.7/ 1st
Chenggong (WMO46761, Alt 37m) 21.0/ 1st 33.9/ 1st
Wuci (WMO46777, Alt 5m) 31.1/ 1st 48.6/ 1st
Dongshi (WMO46730/59348, Alt 45m) 31.1/ 1st 40.0/ 1st
Lanyu (WMO46762/59567, Alt 325m) 34.7/31st 53.0/31st
Kinmen (WMO46711, Alt 36m) 19.3/ 1st 26.9/ 1st
Mastsu (WMO46799, Alt 92m) 23.1/ 1st 41.8/ 1st
2. Daily Top-10 Rainfall Obs
----------------------------
[30/1600-31/1600Z]
Ranking Station ID City/County Rainfall
-----------------------------------------------------------
01 CWB C0U71 Ilan County 454.0 mm
02 CWB C0A56 Taipei County 373.5 mm
03 CWB 21C07 Taoyuan County 346.0 mm
04 CWB 21U11 Ilan County 315.0 mm
05 CWB C0A57 Taipei County 304.0 mm
06 CWB C1E72 Miaoli County 296.0 mm
07 CWB 21D17 Hsinchu County 294.0 mm
08 CWB 21D35 Hsinchu County 290.0 mm
09 CWB C1E57 Miaoli County 279.5 mm
10 CWB C0A54 Taipei County 274.0 mm
[31/1600-01/1600Z]
Ranking Station ID City/County Rainfall
-----------------------------------------------------------
01 CWB C1V30 Kaohsiung County 686.5 mm
02 CWB C0R10 Pingtung County 604.0 mm
03 CWB C1V23 Kaohsiung County 601.0 mm
04 CWB C1V27 Kaohsiung County 578.5 mm
05 CWB C1V24 Kaohsiung County 556.5 mm
06 CWB C1M39 Chia-i County 546.0 mm
07 CWB C1V21 Kaohsiung County 541.5 mm
08 CWB C0M53 Chia-i County 537.5 mm
09 CWB C0V25 Kaohsiung County 529.5 mm
10 CWB C1V20 Kaohsiung County 518.5 mm
{Part III} Meteorological Obs from Fujian Province
==================================================
1. Gust Obs
-----------
Highest gust report of the insular stations----44 m/s @ Beijiao,
Lianjiang County, Fuzhou City.
Highest gust report of the non-insular stations----38 m/s @ Changle
City (a sub-city of Fuzhou City).
2. Rainfall Obs
---------------
During the 96-hr period ending at 04/0000 UTC, storm totals >= 200 mm
were reported by 12 stations (including hydrological stations).
During the 24-hr period ending at 02/0000 UTC, daily rainfalls
>= 200 mm were reported by 5 counties/cities with Zherong County, Ningde
City reporting the highest amount of 347 mm.
3. Obs from Fuzhou City
-----------------------
Talim struck Fuzhou with the strongest winds that were associated with
the city's four tropical cyclones (Typhoon Haitang, Severe Tropical Storm
Sanvu, Typhoon Talim and Typhoon Longwang) during the 2005 season.
Persistent strong winds, along with torrential rains, began to attack my
city around the midnight prior to the first day of September (LST) and
did not ease up until a whole day later. Station WMO58847, which is
located in the urban area, reported gusts topping 30 m/s, while the
suburban stations recorded higher winds (see Section 1). Also, the
station (WMO58847) reported a peak daily rainfall amount of 168 mm on
the 1st [01/0000-02/0000Z].
According to the press reports, hundreds of flights were cancelled in
Fuzhou Changle International Airport, while thousands of trees were
uprooted in the urban area. Three trucks were turned over by violent
winds when steering through a bridge. Besides, the typhoon was also
responsible for the largest-scale power-off accidents in the city in
recent years.
{Part IV} Meteorological Obs from Zhejiang Province
===================================================
1. Gust Obs
-----------
Zhaoshandu, Rui'an City (a sub-city of Wenzhou City) reported the most
significant gusts of the province, peaking at 36.7 m/s.
2. Rainfall Obs
---------------
During the 72-hr period ending at 03/0000Z, rains >=300 mm were
reported by 15 stations (including hydrological stations) with Waiyang
(located in Taishun County, Wenzhou City) reporting the highest amount
of 604.8 mm.
Extrema from Station Waiyang:
-----------------------------
24-hr rainfall: 510.5 mm [01/0300-02/0300Z]
Daily rainfall: 488.9 mm [01/0000-02/0000Z]
12-hr rainfall: 421.0 mm [01/0300-01/1500Z]
06-hr rainfall: 267.0 mm [01/0700-01/1300Z]
03-hr rainfall: 168.0 mm [01/0900-01/1200Z]
01-hr rainfall: 75.6 mm [01/1100-01/1200Z]
3. Hydrological Obs
-------------------
Two hydrological stations reported record-breaking water levels during
the storm:
Station Peak Water Level Former Record
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Baiyan 54.45 m [01/1830Z] 52.47 m
Daitou 19.78 m [01/1430Z] 19.19 m [associated with Typhoon 0505
(Haitang)]
{Part V} Rainfall Obs from Other Provinces
==========================================
3-day totals [01/0000-04/0000Z] (Only WMO stations that reported rains
>= 300 mm listed):
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lushan, Jiangxi Province (WMO58506, 29.58N 115.98E, Alt 1165m) *934 mm
Ruichang, Jiangxi Province (WMO58503, 29.68N 115.67E, Alt 23m) 427 mm
Xingzi, Jiangxi Province (WMO58514, 29.45N 116.05E, Alt 36m) 381 mm
Jing'an, Jiangxi Province (WMO58600, 28.87N 115.37E, Alt 80m) 323 mm
Yongxiu, Jiangxi Province (WMO58509, 29.05N 115.82E, Alt 37m) 307 mm
Yuexi, Anhui Province (WMO58317, 30.87N 116.37E, Alt 431m) 573 mm
Huoshan, Anhui Province (WMO58314, 31.40N 116.32E, Alt 73m) 442 mm
Jinzhai, Anhui Province (WMO58306, 31.68N 115.88E, Alt 94m) 428 mm
Wuxue, Hubei Province (WMO58501, 29.85N 115.55E, Alt 20m) 328 mm
Note (*): Lushan, Jiangxi Province reported a record-breaking 24-hr
rainfall of 529 mm duing the period 01/1800-02/1800 UTC.
{Part VI} Damage and Casualties
===============================
Typhoon Talim caused severe damage in the provinces of Anhui,
Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Jiangsu and Henan and was responsible
for 135 deaths in the Chinese Mainland. (Over 80 deaths were reported in
Anhui Province along due to the severe flooding and landslides triggered
by the torrential rains.)
Population Deaths Farmland Houses Direct Economic
Evacuated Affected Damaged (ha) Toppled Loss (yuan)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1,839,000 19,944,500 135 1290,000 115,800 16,400,000,000
Preliminary statistics indicated that Typhoon Talim left 7 deaths and
more than 200 people injured in Taiwan. Agricultural losses in the
province were estimated to be at least NT$ 1.4 billion.
{Part VII} References (All in Chinese version)
==============================================
http://www.nmc.gov.cn>
http://ncc.cma.gov.cn>
http://www.cwb.gov.tw>
http://www.fjqx.gov.cn>
http://www.zjwater.com>
TYPHOON KHANUN
(TC-15W / TY 0515 / KIKO)
5 - 16 September
---------------------------------------------
Khanun: contributed by Thailand, is a type of fruit (jackfruit)
A. Synoptic History
-------------------
The disturbance that Typhoon Khanun stemmed from was first mentioned
in a TCFA issued by JTWC at 1500 UTC 5 September. Remarks in this
statement included: "An area of convection near 8.4N/140.4E,
approximately 150 nm east-southeast of Yap, has persisted over the past
12 hours. Animated enhanced infrared satellite imagery indicates that
deep convection has consolidated very near the low-level circulation
center. An upper-level analysis shows good westward outflow and
moderate wind shear that is forecast to lessen." The TCFA was quickly
followed by the first warning at 05/1800 UTC. Tropical Depression 15W
continued to develop and was upgraded to a 35-kt tropical storm at
06/0000 UTC while passing 50 nm north of Yap. The system remained
unnamed until 07/0000 UTC, the time at which JMA upgraded their 10-min
avg MSW to 35-kts and assigned the name Khanun. (PAGASA had begun
using their internal name Kiko at 06/1800 UTC.) On 5 September Tropical
Depression 15W passed roughly 60 nm south of Ulithi Atoll where, during
the 24 hours from 05/1200 through 06/1200 UTC, Falalop Island recorded
105.4 mm of rain. (This information from Huang Chunliang.)
Khanun remained at tropical storm intensity on 7 September while
tracking predominantly towards the northwest along the southwestern
periphery of the low to mid-level steering ridge anchored southeast of
Japan. The storm was upgraded to a 65-kt typhoon at 1200 UTC 8 September
while located approximately 570 nm south-southeast of Okinawa. Movement
was mostly towards the north-northwest on 8 September before the cyclone
turned northwestward the next day. Meanwhile, Typhoon Khanun intensified
and while doing so, passed through the southern Ryukyu Islands on
10 September. It reached its maximum intensity of 115 kts at 10/1800 UTC
while centred approximately 225 nm west of Okinawa. Turning north-
northwestward once more, Khanun made landfall in China at 11/0600 UTC
near Songmen, Zhejiang Province, or about 180 nm south of Shanghai. JTWC
issued the final warning at 11/1800 UTC, downgrading Khanun to a 60-kt
tropical storm. After lowering their MSW below typhoon strength at
11/1800 UTC, JMA maintained tropical storm intensity until 13/0000 UTC
when the last bulletin was released. During that period, the weakening
Khanun turned northward over eastern China, its centre passing west of
Shanghai before recurving east-northeastward into the Yellow Sea. The
residual circulation crossed Korea on 13 September, moved across the
Sea of Japan, and had re-entered the Pacific Ocean by 14/1200 UTC. The
by-now extratropical gale moved rapidly east-northeastward across the
North Pacific, and the final reference to the system in JMA's High Seas
Bulletins placed a 40-kt gale east of the Dateline near 50N/176W at
1800 UTC on 16 September.
The peak 10-min avg MSW estimated by any Asian warning agency was
100 kts by NMCC. JMA, HKO and CWB all estimated the peak intensity
of Typhoon Khanun at 85 kts, while PAGASA's highest MSW for Typhoon
Kiko while in their AOR was 80 kts.
Graphics depicting the track of Typhoon Khanun/Kiko may be found at
the following links:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/w_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-15W-KHANUN-OVER.gif>
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/w_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-15W-KHANUN.gif>
B. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
Typhoon Khanun was responsible for 14 deaths in eastern China. Over
one million people were evacuated from coastal areas ahead of the
storm. Khanun battered the cities of Wenzhou, Taizhou, Ningbo, and
Jinhua with strong winds and heavy rains, causing widespread damage.
Flooding was reported in Shanghai City, forcing more than 160,000
residents to evacuate the area. More than 400 flights were cancelled
in Shanghai and Hongqiao Airports. Around 20,000 homes were destroyed
while water conservancy facilities and cropland were damaged. Total
economic losses are estimated at 6.9 billion yuan (850 million US
dollars). (NOTE: Updated damage and casualty figures may be found
in Section C.)
Typhoon Khanun passed through the southern Ryukyu Islands on
10 September. Polling for the Japanese General Election was delayed on
some of the islands until the weather had improved. There were no
reports of damages or casualties reported from any of the southern
Ryukyu Islands.
C. Huang Chunliang Reports
--------------------------
(1) Japan
---------
The information below is based upon data obtained from the following
link:
http://www.okinawa-jma.go.jp>
{Part I} Landfall
=================
According to the JMA warnings, Very Severe Typhoon 0515 (Khanun)
passed over Tarama Island, Okinawa Prefecture, around 10/0930 UTC with
a MSW of 85 kts and a CP of 945 hPa. Tarama (JMA93061, 24.67N/124.70E,
Alt 16m) reported a peak sustained wind of 39 m/s at 10/0910 UTC.
{Part II} WMO Station Obs
=========================
Station Min SLP (hPa) Peak SW (m/s) Peak Gust (m/s)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Miyakojima 978.2 [10/0828Z] 24.6 [10/0900Z] 47.5 [10/0858Z]
Ishigakijima 986.6 [10/0934Z] 19.7 [10/1450Z] 32.9 [10/0828Z]
Iriomotejima 990.2 [10/1108Z] 23.5 [10/1340Z] 32.6 [10/1326Z]
Yonagunijima 996.1 [10/1350Z] 17.8 [10/0850Z] 28.6 [10/1526Z]
Station Peak Daily Rainfall (mm)
--------------------------------------------
Miyakojima 102.0 [09/1500-10/1500Z]
Ishigakijima 89.5 [09/1500-10/1500Z]
Iriomotejima 68.5 [09/1500-10/1500Z]
Yonagunijima 43.0 [10/1500-11/1500Z]
Note: Miyakojima - WMO47927, 24.79N/125.28E, Alt 40 m
Ishigakijima - WMO47918, 24.34N/124.16E, Alt 6 m
Iriomotejima - WMO47917, 24.39N/123.75E, Alt 9 m
Yonagunijima - WMO47912, 24.47N/123.01E, Alt 30 m
(2) China
---------
{Part I} Landfall
=================
According to the NMCC warnings, Typhoon 0515 (Khanun), the strongest
tropical cyclone to make landfall in Zhejiang Province since Typhoon
Wanda (1956), moved inland near Jinqing Town (28.4N/121.6E), Luqiao
District, Taizhou City, around 11/0650 UTC with a MSW of 50 m/s (100 kts)
and a CP of 945 hPa. The weakening tropical cyclone then passed through
Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces successively before the center of Tropical
Storm Khanun reemerged in the Yellow Sea from Yanwei Harbor, Lianyungang
City, Jiangsu Province, around 12/1430 UTC. Finally, NMCC declared
Khanun extratropical before the storm traversed the Korea Peninsula on
the 13th..
{Part II} Daily Top-5 Rainfall Obs from Taiwan Province
=======================================================
[10/1600-11/1600Z]
------------------
Ranking Station ID City/County Rainfall
------------------------------------------------------------
01 CWB L1A83 Taipei County 111.5 mm
02 CWB L1A80 Taipei County 111.0 mm
03 CWB C0A54 Taipei County 105.5 mm
04 WMO 46693 Taipei City 104.5 mm
05 CWB 01A42 Taipei City 103.0 mm
{Part III} Meteorological Obs from Zhejiang Province
====================================================
1. Wind Obs
-----------
Dachen Dao (WMO58666, 28.45N/121.90E, Alt 84m) reported a record-
breaking peak gust of 59.5 m/s on the 11th, the former record being
58.7 m/s which was associated with Typhoon 0414 (Rananim) in August,
2004. The hourly sustained winds recorded by the station peaked at
11/0600 UTC, reaching 45 m/s.
Other 40+ m/s peak gust reports from the province included 49.7 m/s
(Hepu, Xiangshan County), 47.2 m/s (Shipu, Xiangshan County), 44.7 m/s
(Shitang, Wenling City), 43.3 m/s (Damutu, Xiangshan County).
2. Rainfall Obs
---------------
During the 36-hr period ending at 11/2100 UTC, storm totals > 400 mm
were reported by 7 stations (including hydrological stations) with
Xiaozhilingjiao, Linhai City (a sub-city of Taizhou City), reporting the
highest amount of 464.5 mm.
Extrema from Station Xiaozhilingjiao:
24-hr rainfall: 464.0 mm [10/1300-11/1300Z]
12-hr rainfall: 431.0 mm [11/0100-11/1300Z]
06-hr rainfall: 339.0 mm [11/0300-11/0900Z]
03-hr rainfall: 214.5 mm [11/0600-11/0900Z]
01-hr rainfall: 138.0 mm [11/0800-11/0900Z]
{Part IV} Rainfall Obs from Other Provinces/Municipalities
==========================================================
1. Shanghai Municipality
------------------------
During the 24-hr period ending at 12/0000 UTC, Caojing, Jinshan
District, reported the highest storm total of 169.8 mm.
2. Jiangsu and Shandong Provinces
---------------------------------
24-hr rainfall obs (0nly WMO stations that reported rains > = 100 mm
listed)
=======================================================================
Changshu, Jiangsu Province 110 mm [10/2100-11/2100Z]
(WMO58352, 31.65N/120.73E, Alt 5m)
Kunshan, Jiangsu Province 108 mm [10/2100-11/2100Z]
(WMO58356, 31.42N/120.95E, Alt 9m)
Taicang, Jiangsu Province 101 mm [10/2100-11/2100Z]
(WMO58377, 31.47N/121.10E, Alt 6m)
Sheyang, Jiangsu Province 113 mm [11/2100-12/2100Z]
(WMO58150, 33.77N/120.25E, Alt 7m)
Qingdao, Shandong Province 107 mm [11/2100-12/2100Z]
(WMO54857, 36.07N/120.33E, Alt 77m)
{Part V} Damage and Casualties
==============================
Typhoon Khanun was responsible for 16 deaths with another 9 people
missing in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui Provinces plus Shanghai
Municipality. Direct economic losses were estimated to have been
over 9 billion yuan.
Population Population Farmland Houses Direct Economic
Evacuated Affected Deaths Damaged (ha) Toppled Losses (yuan)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1,299,000 13,190,000 16 929,000 24,000 9,910,000,000
{Part VI} References (All in Chinese version)
=============================================
http://www.nmc.gov.cn>
http://ncc.cma.gov.cn>
http://www.cwb.gov.tw>
http://www.zjwater.com>
http://www.shanghaiwater.gov.cn>
(Report written by Kevin Boyle with significant contributions by
Huang Chunliang)
TROPICAL STORM VICENTE
(TC-16W / TS 0516)
15 - 19 September
------------------------------------------
Vicente: submitted by the United States, is a Chamorro male name (also
the Spanish form of the name Vincent)
A. Synoptic History
-------------------
The first reference to the disturbance that spawned Tropical Storm
Vicente was included in JTWC's STWO issued at 0230 UTC 15 September.
An area of convection had persisted approximately 225 nm west of
Manila, Philippines. Animated multi-spectral imagery and a 14/2229 UTC
AMSU-B microwave pass revealed that most of the deep convection was
located on the periphery of a broad, organizing LLCC. An upper-level
analysis indicated an area of moderate vertical wind shear, favourable
divergence aloft, and consolidating 850-mb vorticity. A TCFA was
released at 15/2030 UTC after the deep convection increased to the
southwest of the partially-exposed centre. The first warning followed
at 16/0000 UTC, locating Tropical Depression 16W approximately 200 nm
east of Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Tropical Depression 16W traced a large, cyclonic loop on 16
September whilst interacting with a tropical disturbance located to the
northeast. It was upgraded to a 35-kt tropical storm by JMA at 16/1200
UTC and named Vicente. JTWC followed suit and upgraded Vicente to a
tropical storm at 17/0000 UTC. Tropical Storm Vicente completed its
erratic loop-de-loop movement on 17 September, accelerating onto a west
to west-northwesterly track and passing south of Hainan Island, China,
later that same day. After absorbing the disturbance to the east,
Vicente became the dominant circulation in the South China Sea,
reaching a peak intensity of 40 kts at 18/0000 UTC. The system finally
came ashore just north of Hue, Vietnam, at around 18/0600 UTC. JTWC
downgraded Vicente to a tropical depression on their last warning,
issued at 18/0600 UTC. JMA maintained tropical storm intensity until
19/0000 UTC when that agency released their final bulletin. By then,
Vicente was heading into Thailand and dissipating.
JMA, NMCC, CWB of Taiwan, and TMD of Thailand, all estimated a maximum
intensity of 45 kts. HKO estimated a peak strength of 40 kts. PAGASA
did not issue warnings on this system as it formed to the west of their
AOR.
A graphic depicting the track of Tropical Storm Vicente may be found
at the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/w_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-16W-VICENTE.gif>
B. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
According to press reports, at least twenty people lost their lives
in Vietnam as a result of Tropical Storm Vicente.
The pressure gradient between Vicente and a ridge of high pressure
over southeastern China brought a strong easterly air stream to the
coastal areas of Guangdong, causing rough seas. A swimmer was reported
drowned there and another casualty occurred in rough seas at Sai Kung,
Hong Kong. A Chinese ship struck a reef between Shangchuan and
Xiachuan Islands. Fortunately, all seventeen crew members were saved.
C. Huang Chunliang Report
-------------------------
(1) China
---------
Brief Report from Hainan Province
=================================
During the 48-hr period ending at 19/0000 UTC, storm totals >= 100 mm
were reported by 8 counties/cities with Wuzhishan City (WMO59941, 18.77N/
109.52E, Alt 329m) reporting the highest amount of 393 mm.
Xisha Dao (WMO59981, 16.83N/112.33E, Alt 5m) reported a peak gust of
30 m/s at 18/0132 UTC.
Preliminary statistics on 20 September indicated that the storm had
caused at least 47 million yuan of direct economic losses in Hainan and
was responsible for 2 deaths as well as 9 missing in the province.
(2) Vietnam and Thailand
------------------------
In Vietnam, station Vinh (18.67N/105.68E) recorded 196.7 mm of
rainfall between 17/1200 and 18/1200 UTC.
In Thailand, station Chiang Mai (18.78N/98.98E) recorded 103.0 mm
of rainfall between 18/1800 and 19/1800 UTC.
(Report written by Kevin Boyle with contributions by Huang Chunliang)
TYPHOON SAOLA
(TC-18W / TY 0517)
19 - 28 September
--------------------------------------
Saola: contributed by Vietnam, is a rare type of forest-dwelling ox
recently found in the western part of Hatinh Province (Central
Vietnam) and is a protected species (Editor's Note: For more
information on the word "saola", please see Section D.)
A. Synoptic History
-------------------
At 0100 UTC 20 September a TCFA was issued for a potential candidate
for a tropical cyclone. Remarks included: "An area of convection near
20.9N/152.5E, approximately 515 nm northeast of Saipan, has persisted
over the last 12 hours. Recent multi-spectral satellite imagery shows
consolidating convection around a partially-exposed low-level
circulation. An upper-level LOW to the northwest of the system is
enhancing convection on the northern periphery of the system. An upper-
air analysis indicates the system is in a favorable environment for
development with both equatorward and eastward outflow channels and low
vertical wind shear." Drifting slowly west-northwestwards, the
disturbance became Tropical Depression 18W at 20/1200 UTC, the time
that JTWC issued the first warning. JTWC upgraded TD-18W to a 35-kt
tropical storm at 21/0000 UTC, six hours after JMA had raised their MSW
to 35-kts and assigned the name Saola.
Tropical Storm Saola steadily intensified on 21 September while
moving on a northwestward or west-northwestward heading. It was
upgraded to a 70-kt typhoon at 0000 UTC 22 September while centred
approximately 260 nm east of Iwo Jima. Continuing west-northwestwards
along the southwestern periphery of a subtropical ridge located to the
northeast, Typhoon Saola reached an intensity of 90 kts and maintained
this strength for over 24 hours, finally peaking at 100 kts at 24/0600
UTC while turning northwards through a break in the ridge. After
completing recurvature, Typhoon Saola accelerated northeastwards into
the mid-latitude baroclinic zone and began to steadily weaken. After
making its closest approach to Tokyo, Japan, passing approximately
155 nm to the south-southeast at 25/0000 UTC, Saola was downgraded to
a tropical storm at 25/1800 UTC. The system was declared extratropical
at 26/0000 UTC when JTWC issued the final warning. JMA maintained
typhoon intensity until 26/0600 UTC, at which time Saola was downgraded
to a 55-kt tropical storm. Six hours later the former typhoon was
declared extratropical. The remnants of Saola raced rapidly eastward
across the North Pacific, and by 28/0000 UTC consisted of a 35-kt gale
well east of the Dateline.
NMCC estimated a peak intensity of 90 kts while JMA and the CWB of
Taiwan estimated a maximum intensity of 80 kts. The lowest CP estimated
by JMA was 950 mb.
A graphic depicting the track of Typhoon Saola may be found at the
following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/w_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-18W-SAOLA.gif>
B. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
Although Typhoon Saola brought heavy rains and strong winds to much
of southeastern Japan and the offshore islands of Izu Shoto, there were
no reports of damages or casualties.
C. Huang Chunliang Report from Japan
------------------------------------
{Part I} Wind Obs
=================
Station Peak SW (m/s) Peak Gust (m/s)
---------------------------------------------------
Hachijojima 26.8 [24/2010Z] 52.7 [24/1852Z]
Miyakejima 23.6 [24/2230Z] 36.2 [25/0022Z]
Choshi 25.9 [25/0510Z] 36.2 [25/0909Z]
Chichijima 14.1 [--------] 38.0 [22/1805Z]
Station Information:
--------------------
Station
---------------------------------------------------
Hachijojima (WMO47678, 33.10N/139.78E, Alt 79m)
Miyakejima (WMO47677, 34.12N/139.52E, Alt 36m)
Choshi (WMO47648, 35.74N/140.86E, Alt 20 m)
Chichijima (WMO47971, 27.09N/142.19E, Alt 3m)
{Part II} Rainfall Obs
======================
Station Storm Total (mm)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hachijojima (WMO47678,33.10N/139.78E,Alt 79m) 249.5 [24/0800-25/0100Z]
Miyakejima (WMO47677,34.12N/139.52E,Alt 36m) 147.5 [23/1200-25/0100Z]
Miyake-izu (JMA44229,34.12N/139.50E,Alt 50m) 191 [23/1200-25/0100Z]
Miyake-ako (JMA44227,34.08N/139.48E,/Alt 30m) 271 [23/1200-25/0100Z]
Miyake-tsubota (JMA44228,34.07N/139.56E,Alt 20m) 180 [23/1200-25/0100Z]
{Part III} References (Japanese versions only)
==============================================
http://www.data.kishou.go.jp/etrn/index.html>
http://www.jma.go.jp>
D. Further Discussion about the Name
------------------------------------
I (Gary) received a copy of an e-mail to Katsuhiro Abe of the World
Meteorological Organization from William Robichaud of the Centre for
Biodiversity Research, Department of Zoology, University of British
Columbia, located in Vancouver, BC. This was in reference to a quote
Mr. Robichaud had noted in the press regarding the name of Typhoon
Saola. According to Mr. Robichaud, while the species bearing the name
saola was discovered in Vietnam, it also lives in Laos and the name is
in fact a Lao name.
In the Lao and Lao-related languages spoken in the animal's range in
both central Laos and Vietnam, "saola" is the word for a pair of
parallel wooden posts that support part of small, local cotton spinning
wheels. Indigenous people gave this name to the animal because the
tapering posts resemble a pair of saola horns (it is a type of ox). An
approximate translation of the species common name, therefore, is
"spinning wheel posts". (A thanks to Mr. Robichaud for sending me a
copy of his interesting and informative letter.)
(Report written by Kevin Boyle with contributions by Huang Chunliang
and Gary Padgett)
TYPHOON DAMREY
(TC-17W / TY-0518 / LABUYO)
19 - 27 September
-----------------------------------------------
Damrey: contributed by Cambodia, means 'elephant'
A. Synoptic History
-------------------
At 0230 UTC 19 September a TCFA was issued for the disturbance which
was to become Typhoon Damrey. Remarks in this statement included: "An
area of convection near 13.1N/128.4E, approximately 430 nm east of
Manila, Philippines, has persisted over the last 12 hours. Recent
multi-spectral satellite imagery shows increasing organization and deep
convection around a broad but distinct low-level circulation center. An
upper-air analysis indicates favourable westward and poleward outflow
and low vertical wind shear." The system remained under the TCFA until
it was replaced by the first warning on Tropical Depression 17W at
20/1200 UTC. Because it was an immediate threat to the Philippines,
PAGASA assigned the name Labuyo at 19/0600 UTC for local use within the
Philippines. TD-17W was upgraded to Tropical Storm Damrey at 21/0000 UTC
after both JTWC and JMA simultaneously increased their MSW estimates to
35-kts. At this time, Damrey/Labuyo was centred approximately 420 nm
south-southeast of Taipei, Taiwan.
Damrey/Labuyo remained at tropical storm intensity for several days.
After the MSW rose slowly to 50 kts on 21 September there was no
further strengthening for over 24 hours. Reasons for this were close
proximity to land, restricted poleward outflow, and moderate wind shear
conditions. A well-established ridge extending eastward from southeast
Asia was to ensure that there would be no recurvature for this tropical
cyclone. Initially moving towards the north-northwest, Damrey turned
west-northwestwards, passing through the Babuyan Islands and clipping
the far northeastern corner of Luzon on 21 September. Movement was
slower in the Luzon Strait on 22 September before a more westerly
heading became established on 23 September, followed by a west-
southwesterly track the next day. During this time, Damrey underwent
slight intensification with the MSW reaching 55 kts at 23/0000 before
weakening to 45 kts at 23/1200 UTC.
Once the struggle was over and there were less environmental
restrictions, Damrey was able to strengthen again and was upgraded to a
65-kt typhoon at 24/1800 UTC while located approximately 200 nm southwest
of Hong Kong, China. After a rather rapid strengthening period, Damrey
reached its maximum intensity of 90 kts at 25/0600 UTC. A slow weakening
trend commenced as the storm veered westwards and began to approach the
island of Hainan. By the time Damrey made landfall in the Chinese
Province at around 26/0000 UTC, the MSW had dropped to 75 kts. The
system, however, managed to maintain a large well-defined eye until it
quickly faded soon after landfall. Weakening continued as Damrey crossed
southern Hainan, the system moving on a rather peculiar bending track
which appeared to deflect the typhoon round the coastline. The tropical
cyclone was downgraded to a 55-kt tropical storm at 26/1200 UTC. After
crossing the Gulf of Tonkin, Damrey came ashore near Hanoi, Vietnam,
early on 27 September. Intensity at landfall was estimated at 55 kts.
JTWC and JMA issued their final warnings at 27/0600 UTC and 27/1800 UTC,
respectively, with the cyclone then moving into Laos and dissipating.
(Editor's Note: It should be pointed out that there were very insistent
meteorological voices to the effect that Damrey was a typhoon while in
transit over the Gulf of Tonkin, based on visible and microwave imagery.
It is interesting to note that JMA estimated a 10-min avg MSW of 60 kts
(equivalent to about 65 kts 1-min avg) whereas JTWC's MSW was 55 kts
during this period.)
NMCC estimated a maximum intensity of 110 kts while HKO estimated a
peak strength of 90 kts. JMA, CWB of Taiwan, and TMD of Thailand all
estimated a peak intensity of 80 kts while PAGASA estimated a peak
strength of 50 kts while Damrey was within that agency's AOR. The
minimum CP estimated by JMA was 955 mb.
A graphic depicting the track of Typhoon Damrey/Labuyo may be found
at the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/w_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-17W-DAMREY.gif>
B. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
Typhoon Damrey swept across much of southeast and eastern Asia,
leaving at least 114 people dead. It was described as the worst storm in
over a decade. Vietnam suffered the heaviest damage. Thousands of homes
were destroyed or severely damaged as the strong winds blew off the
poorly-constructed metal roof tops. An estimated 100,000 trees were
uprooted, along with 300,000 fruit trees. Storm-surge flooding which
pushed sea water 3 to 4 km inland in coastal provinces along with flash
floods reportedly destroyed at least 1,194 houses and damaging 11,576
others. Hundreds of metres of sea dykes were ruptured in the districts
of Nam Dinh and Thanh Hoa. Property damage is estimated at US 209
million dollars.
Agriculture in Vietnam was also severely affected. Thousands of
people are facing starvation in the coming months after their months of
labour in cultivating 300,000 ha of rice and cash crops were completely
wasted. Salt from the sea water flooding the rice fields made growing
winter crops virtually impossible. Options to earn a living are also
slim with the loss of 22,000 shrimp and fish ponds. The 600,000 people
who evacuated ahead of the storm are also facing huge losses when they
return. There is no water supply, electricity or food. Damages to
wells caused by sea water has made drinking water unavailable in most
areas.
According to news reports, the death toll from Typhoon Damrey in
China's island province of Hainan was 25. Economic losses were
estimated at 11.6 billion yuan (about 1.5 billion US dollars). Damrey
almost completely wiped out Hainan's aquaculture industry and damaged
this season's farm yield of rubber, tropical fruits and vegetables, as
well as knocking out the entire power grid system, and severely
affecting the water conservancy facilities.
The total death toll in the Philippines attributed to Damrey was 16.
C. Huang Chunliang China Report
-------------------------------
{Part I} Landfall
=================
According to the NMCC warnings, Typhoon 0518 (Damrey) moved inland
near Shangen Town, Wanning City, Hainan Province, around 25/2000 UTC
with a MSW of 45 m/s (90 kts) and a CP of 950 hPa, making itself the
strongest typhoon to make landfall in Hainan Island since Typhoon 7423
(Della). Trampling across the island, Damrey reemerged in the Gulf of
Tonkin around 26/0930 UTC.
{Part II} Daily Top-5 Rainfall Obs from Taiwan Province
=======================================================
[20/1600-21/1600Z]
Ranking Station ID City/County Rainfall
-----------------------------------------------------------
01 WMO 46762 Taitung County 105.0 mm
02 CWB C1Z02 Hualien County 93.0 mm
03 CWB C0R28 Pingtung County 92.0 mm
04 CWB C1T99 Hualien County 85.5 mm
05 CWB C1Z04 Hualien County 84.5 mm
[21/1600-22/1600Z]
Ranking Station ID City/County Rainfall
-----------------------------------------------------------
01 CWB C0T87 Hualien County 444.0 mm
02 CWB C1T98 Hualien County 438.0 mm
03 CWB C0A56 Taipei County 437.0 mm
04 CWB 01A43 Taipei County 395.0 mm
05 CWB C1T95 Hualien County 375.5 mm
[22/1600-23/1600Z]
Ranking Station ID City/County Rainfall
-----------------------------------------------------------
01 CWB C0U65 Ilan County 234.0 mm
02 WMO 46759 Pingtung County 218.0 mm
03 CWB C0A56 Taipei County 216.5 mm
04 CWB C0R36 Pingtung County 179.0 mm
05 CWB C1U66 Ilan County 165.0 mm
{Part III} Meteorological Obs from Hainan Province
==================================================
1. Gust Obs
-----------
12 counties/cities recorded gusts >= Beaufort Force 12 during the
typhoon.
2. Rainfall Obs
---------------
During the 48-hr period ending at 27/0000 UTC, storm totals >= 200 mm
were reported by 9 counties/cities with Wuzhishan City (WMO59941, 18.77N/
109.52E, Alt 329m) reporting the highest amount of 455 mm. Sanya City
(WMO59948, 18.23N/109.52E, Alt 7m) reported the highest daily amount of
384 mm [26/0000-27/0000Z].
3. Hydrological Obs
-------------------
Station Qinglan reported record-breaking water level during the
typhoon:
Station Peak Water Level Former Record
------------------------------------------------------------
Qinglan 1.82 m [25/1900Z] 1.70 m [1985]
{Part IV} Meteorological Obs from Guangdong Province
====================================================
1. Top-1 Wind Obs
-----------------
Haian Town, Xuwen County, Zhanjiang City reported sustained winds
topping 22.0 m/s with gusts peaking at 35.0 m/s during the typhoon.
2. Top-1 Rainfall Obs
---------------------
Jinjiang, Enping County, Jiangmen City reported 2-day total of 213 mm.
{Part V} Meteorological Obs from Hong Kong S.A.R.
=================================================
http://www.weather.gov.hk/informtc/damrey/damrey.htm>
{Part VI} Damage and Casualties
===============================
Mainland China
--------------
Population Deaths Farmland Houses Direct Economic
Evacuated Affected Damaged (ha) Toppled Loss (yuan)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
542,000 8,907,000 29 1,133,000 33,600 12,190,000,000
Hainan suffered the worst from Damrey with 25 deaths and 11.64 billion
yuan of direct economic losses being reported in the province. The
violent typhoon at one point paralysed power supplies in the whole Hainan
Island, something which is very rare for the province.
{Part VI} References
====================
http://www.nmc.gov.cn>
http://ncc.cma.gov.cn>
http://mb.hainan.gov.cn>
http://www.cwb.gov.tw>
http://www.weather.gov.hk>
D. Miscellaneous Rainfall Observations
--------------------------------------
Following are rainfall observations compiled and sent by Huang
Chunliang from the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. Only 24-hour
amount(s) >= 100 mm are listed.
(1) Philippines
===============
DAET (14.13N/122.98E) 159.0 mm [19/00-20/00Z]
CATANDUANES RADAR (13.98N/124.32E) 136.4 mm [19/00-20/00Z]
VIRAC (13.58N/124.23E) 114.4 mm [19/00-20/00Z]
PILI (13.57N/123.27E) 107.0 mm [19/00-20/00Z]
LAOAG (18.18N/120.53E) 402.0 mm [21/00-22/00Z]
BAGUIO (16.42N/120.60E) 333.9 mm [21/00-22/00Z]
VIGAN (17.57N/120.38E) 269.8 mm [21/00-22/00Z]
ITBAYAT (20.80N/121.85E) 174.5 mm [21/00-22/00Z]
DAGUPAN (16.05N/120.33E) 115.4 mm [21/00-22/00Z]
LAOAG (18.18N/120.53E) 212.0 mm [22/00-23/00Z]
VIGAN (17.57N/120.38E) 191.6 mm [22/00-23/00Z]
(2) Vietnam
===========
HA NOI (21.03N/105.80E) 144.1 mm [26/12-27/12Z]
BACH LONG VI (20.13N/107.72E) 131.8 mm [26/12-27/12Z]
VINH (18.67N/105.68E) 126.3 mm [26/12-27/12Z]
NAM DINH (20.43N/106.15E) 120.2 mm [26/12-27/12Z]
(3) Thailand
============
NAKHON PHANOM (17.42N/104.78E) 109.8 mm [26/06-27/06Z]
NAKHON PHANOM (17.42N/104.78E) 127.0 mm [26/12-27/12Z]
SAKON NAKHON (17.15N/104.13E) 101.6 mm [26/12-27/12Z]
NAKHON PHANOM (17.42N/104.78E) 176.7 mm [26/18-27/18Z]
SAKON NAKHON (17.15N/104.13E) 109.4 mm [26/18-27/18Z]
NAKHON PHANOM (17.42N/104.78E) 151.4 mm [27/00-28/00Z]
SAKON NAKHON (17.15N/104.13E) 111.5 mm [27/00-28/00Z]
SAKON NAKHON (17.15N/104.13E) 103.0 mm [27/06-28/06Z]
E. Additional Philippine Rainfall Observations
----------------------------------------------
Rainfall observations taken at Naga City, Philippines, by Michael
V. Padua may be accessed at the following link:
http://www.typhoon2000.ph/stormarchives/2005/observations/labuyo2005.gif>
(Report written by Kevin Boyle with significant contributions by
Huang Chunliang)
SUPER TYPHOON LONGWANG
(TC-19W / TY 0519 / MARING)
25 September - 3 October
-----------------------------------------------
Longwang: contributed by China, is the name of the Dragon King, who is
the god of rain in Chinese mythology. In ancient times,
people offered sacrifices to the Dragon King, praying for
timely rainfall and abundant harvests.
A. Synoptic History
-------------------
A day or so after JTWC began issuing STWOs on the disturbance that
became Super Typhoon Longwang, a TCFA was written at 1530 UTC on
25 September. At this time, the system was moving slowly northwestward
approximately 245 nm north of Saipan. Comments in the TCFA include:
"...Animated enhanced infrared imagery reveals an increase in
convection over the low level circulation center (LLCC). Independent
Dvorak intensity estimates have increased to T1.5 across all reporting
agencies. An upper-level analysis indicates the LLCC remains in an
environment of low vertical wind shear, favorable divergence, and
increasing 850-mb vorticity." The first warning on Tropical
Depression 19W quickly followed at 25/1800 UTC. JMA upgraded TD-19W
to a 35-kt (10-min avg) tropical storm at 26/0000 UTC, assigning the
name Longwang. JTWC increased their MSW to 35-kts six hours later.
Tropical Storm Longwang quickly strengthened and was upgraded to a
70-kt typhoon at 0000 UTC 27 September while centred approximately
190 nm south of Iwo Jima. Initially drifting towards the west or west-
northwest, Longwang briefly turned northwestwards towards a weakness
located between two steering ridges. The ridge extending from eastern
Asia became the primary controlling mechanism, and Typhoon Longwang,
following the contours of this ridge, returned to its original west to
west-northwesterly heading late on 27 September. Meanwhile, rapid
intensification continued and by 0600 UTC 28 September Longwang was a
major typhoon with MSW of 120 kts. Strengthening ceased at this point,
and the intensity remained constant for over 24 hours. (PAGASA
assigned the name Maring after the system had entered their AOR at
29/0000 UTC.) Longwang finally reached its peak intensity as a 130-kt
super typhoon at 29/1200 UTC while centred approximately 405 nm east-
southeast of Okinawa.
Even though Longwang was downgraded back to ordinary typhoon intensity
at 0600 UTC 30 September, the tropical cyclone remained an extremely
intense system for the next two days. Continuing on a predominantly
westerly track, Longwang's intensity fluctuated between 120-125 kts
before the storm began to steadily weaken late on 1 October. After
turning to a west-northwestward heading, Longwang made landfall near
Huelien, Taiwan, at 02/0000 UTC with a MSW of 105 kts. Typhoon
Longwang crossed Taiwan in only six hours and was still a rather
powerful 90-kt tropical cyclone when it emerged over the Taiwan Strait.
Weakening continued and Longwang made its final landfall in Fujian
Province, China, as a minimal typhoon at 02/1800 UTC, the time that
JTWC issued their final warning. JMA continued to monitor Longwang's
progress further inland via their bulletins until 03/1800 UTC.
NMCC estimated a peak MSW value of 120 kts while HKO estimated a
maximum strength of 110 kts. CWB of Taiwan, PAGASA, and JMA estimated
peak intensities of 100, 90, and 95 kts, respectively, and JMA
estimated a minimum CP of 930 mb.
A graphic depicting the track of Super Typhoon Longwang/Maring may
be found at the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/w_pacific/BT-IMAGES/2005-19W-LONGWANG.gif>
B. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
News sources indicate that Typhoon Longwang caused one death and
100 injuries in Taiwan. Reports said the storm cut power to more than
760,000 households, ripped roofs off homes and damaged vehicles. One
hundred people were forced to evacuate from three villages in Hualien
County, an area hit particularly badly. A coastal community in Hualien
was flooded when high waves smashed through sea walls. A cargo ship
ran aground off Hualien harbour and the arch gate of the Hualien Martyrs
Shrine was knocked down by the strong winds. International and
domestic flights were grounded and rail services suspended. The
Council of Agriculture estimated the losses to agricultural products
and facilities in Taiwan at NT$ 85.3 million (2.5 million US dollars).
A total of 147 deaths were reported in Fujian Province, including over
80 police recruits killed in a landslide which destroyed the building
where they were staying. Around 600,000 people in Fujian and Guangdong
Provinces were evacuated ahead of the storm. All transportation was
disrupted. Typhoon Longwang lashed Fujian for around 10 hours,
uprooting trees and causing extensive flooding. A river burst its
banks, inundating the city of Fuzhou with 6.5 feet (2 metres) of water.
Preliminary figures according to the Xinhua News Agency said Longwang
destroyed 5,400 houses and crops on over 26,000 hectares (64,220 acres)
of farmland. The publication added that the storm caused around 1.2
billion yuan (148 million US dollars) of damage to the economy of
Fujian.
C. Huang Chunliang China Report
-------------------------------
{Part I} Landfalls
==================
The CWB warnings indicated that Severe Typhoon 0519 (Longwang) made
landfall over Taiwan Island near Fongbin Town, Hualien County, around
01/2115 UTC with a MSW of 51 m/s (100 kts) and a CP of 925 hPa. After
weakening into a Moderate Typhoon, Longwang reemerged in the Taiwan
Strait from the mouth of Choshui River around 02/0200 UTC.
On the other hand, according to the NMCC warnings, Typhoon 0519
(Longwang) first made landfall near Hualien City, Taiwan Province,
around 01/2130 UTC with a MSW of 50 m/s (100 kts) and a CP of 940 hPa.
Traversing Taiwan Island and then the Taiwan Strait, the typhoon made a
second landfall over the mainland near Weitou Town, Jinjiang City
(a sub-city of Quanzhou City), Fujian Province, around 02/1335 UTC with
a MSW of 33 m/s (65 kts) and a CP of 975 hPa. Final landfall occurred
around 02/1540 UTC, when the fading Severe Tropical Storm traveled
inland near Longhai City (a sub-city of Zhangzhou City), Fujian Province,
with a MSW of 30 m/s (60 kts) and a CP of 980 hPa.
{Part II} Meteorological Obs from Taiwan Province
=================================================
1. Peak Sustained Wind & Gust Obs
---------------------------------
Only those stations that reported sustained winds of gale force or
gusts of typhoon force are given:
Peak SW Peak Gust
Station (mps/Local Date) (mps/Local Date)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
An Bu (WMO46691, Alt 827m) 15.4/ 2nd 36.9/ 2nd
Hualien (WMO46763/59362, Alt 14m) 45.2/ 2nd *64.9/ 2nd
Suao (WMO46706, Alt 3m) 23.4/ 2nd 34.1/ 2nd
Chenggong (WMO46761, Alt 37m) 18.7/ 2nd 31.2/ 2nd
Wuci (WMO46777, Alt 5m) 27.1/ 2nd 42.4/ 2nd
Dongshi (WMO46730/59348, Alt 45m) 23.3/ 2nd 33.5/ 2nd
Lanyu (WMO46762/59567, Alt 325m) 24.1/ 2nd 34.7/ 2nd
Mastsu (WMO46799, Alt 92m) 17.9/ 2nd 30.1/ 2nd
Note (*): The peak gust value has broken the former station record of
62.1 m/s, which was associated with Typhoon Louise 46 years ago.
2. Daily Top-5 Rainfall Obs
---------------------------
[01/1600-02/1600Z]
Ranking Station ID City/County Rainfall
-----------------------------------------------------------
01 CWB C0T82 Hualien County 764.5 mm
02 CWB C1T80 Hualien County 659.0 mm
03 CWB C0U71 Ilan County 576.0 mm
04 CWB C1T81 Hualien County 510.5 mm
05 CWB C1T86 Hualien County 473.0 mm
{Part III} Meteorological Obs from Fujian Province
==================================================
1. Gust Obs
-----------
Highest gust report of the insular stations----45.6 m/s @ Xiayu,
Lianjiang County, Fuzhou City.
Highest gust report of the non-insular stations----38 m/s @ Changle
City (a sub-city of Fuzhou City).
2. Rainfall Obs
---------------
During the 48-hr period ending at 04/0000 UTC, storm totals >= 200 mm
were reported by 5 counties/cities: Changle City (a sub-city of Fuzhou
City/WMO58941)----332 mm, Fuzhou City (WMO58847)----263 mm, Longhai City
(a sub-city of Zhangzhou City/WMO59127)----263 mm, Luoyuan County (a
county of Fuzhou City/WMO58845)----252 mm, Minhou County (a county of
Fuzhou City/WMO58844)----236 mm.
Extrema from Changle (a sub-city of Fuzhou City/WMO58941)
---------------------------------------------------------
Daily rainfall: 331 mm [02/0000-03/0000Z]
12-hr rainfall: 316 mm [02/0200-01/1400Z]
06-hr rainfall: 303 mm [02/0800-02/1400Z]
03-hr rainfall: 276 mm [02/1100-02/1400Z]
01-hr rainfall: 152 mm [02/1100-02/1200Z]
Extrema from Fuzhou (WMO58847)
-----------------------------------------
03-hr rainfall: 182 mm [02/1100-02/1400Z]
01-hr rainfall: 111 mm [02/1200-02/1300Z]
Extrema from Luoyuan (a county of Fuzhou City/WMO58845)
-------------------------------------------------------
01-hr rainfall: 108 mm [02/1500-02/1600Z]
Extrema from Jiefang Bridge (a hydrological station in Fuzhou City)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
03-hr rainfall: 194 mm
01-hr rainfall: 118 mm
Extrema from Bayi Reservoir (a hydrological station in Fuzhou City)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
03-hr rainfall: 195 mm
01-hr rainfall: 110 mm
Extrema from Buzhengping (a hydrological station in Lianjiang County,
Fuzhou City)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
01-hr rainfall: 110 mm
3. Obs from Fuzhou City
-----------------------
In Chinese, "Longwang" means "The Dragon King", who's the god of rain
in Chinese mythology. And the typhoon indeed deserved the name.
We woke up in the morning of Oct 3 (LST) and found that half of the
city was inundated by floodwaters topping 2 meters in depth, resulting
from the astonishing torrential rains which had poured down during the
night (LST). Station Fuzhou (WMO58847) reported 111 mm of rain,
accompanied by continual thunder and lightning, within one hour
[02/1200-02/1300Z] alone, while several WMO stations distributed in the
counties/sub-cities, as well as many hydrological stations located in the
city, also recorded 100+mm/hour rains with Station Changle (WMO58941)
suffering the worst from the typhoon (see Section 2).
Longwang was also a windy typhoon for Fuzhou. A couple of counties/
sub-cities reported gusts beyond typhoon force (see Section 1), though
the urban area recorded gusts of gale force only.
{Part IV} Rainfall Obs from Other Provinces
===========================================
1. Zhejiang Province
--------------------
During the 96-hr period ending at 05/0000 UTC, storm totals >= 200 mm
were reported by 8 stations (including hydrological stations) with
Xinzha, Taizhou City, reporting the highest amount of 292 mm. Xinzha
also reported the highest 1-hr rainfall of the province, amounting to
100 mm.
2. Jiangxi Province
-------------------
During the 36-hr period ending at 04/0000 UTC, storm totals >= 50 mm
were reported by 20 counties/cities with Nanfeng County reporting the
highest amount of 128 mm.
{Part V} Damage and Casualties
==============================
1. Mainland China
-----------------
Population Deaths Farmland Houses Direct Economic
Province Evacuated Affected Damaged (ha) Toppled Loss (yuan)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fujian 537,000 4,028,000 147 130,000 9,000 7,478,000,000
Zhejiang 86,000 484,000 --- 9,000 ----- 300,000,000
Jiangxi ------ 222,000 --- 21,000 ----- 40,000,000
[TOTAL] [623,000] [4,734,000] [147] [160,000] [9,000] [7,818,000,000]
Longwang had become the most deadly tropical cyclone for China during
the 2005 typhoon season. All the 147 deaths, including more than 80
armed police cadets, who lost their lives in a single landslide that
destroyed the barracks in Minhou County, Fuzhou City, were reported in
Fujian Province.
2. Taiwan
---------
Preliminary statistics indicated that Typhoon Longwang left at least
one death and more than 50 people injured in Taiwan. Agricultural losses
in the province were estimated to be over NT$ 500 million.
{Part VI} References (All in Chinese version)
=============================================
http://www.nmc.gov.cn>
http://ncc.cma.gov.cn>
http://www.cwb.gov.tw>
http://www.fjqx.gov.cn>
http://www.zjwater.com>
D. Huang Chunliang Japan Report
-------------------------------
Information obtained from the following link:
http://www.okinawa-jma.go.jp>
Station Min SLP (hPa) Peak SW (m/s) Peak Gust (m/s)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Ishigakijima 997.1 [01/1105Z] 22.0 [01/1140Z] 44.2 [01/1131Z]
Iriomotejima 997.4 [01/1143Z] 18.8 [01/1340Z] 34.9 [01/1159Z]
Yonagunijima 994.6 [01/1652Z] 25.1 [01/1410Z] 37.5 [01/1422Z]
Note: Ishigakijima @ WMO47918, 24.34N/124.16E, Alt 6 m
Iriomotejima @ WMO47917, 24.39N/123.75E, Alt 9 m
Yonagunijima @ WMO47912, 24.47N/123.01E, Alt 30 m
(Report written by Kevin Boyle with significant contributions by
Huang Chunliang)
*************************************************************************
NORTH INDIAN OCEAN (NIO) - Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea
Activity for September: 2 depressions **
1 cyclonic storm **
** - no warnings were issued for any of these systems by JTWC
Sources of Information
----------------------
Most of the information presented below is based upon tropical
cyclone warnings and significant tropical weather outlooks issued
by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center of the U. S. Air Force and
Navy (JTWC), located at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Occasionally some
information may be gleaned from the daily tropical weather outlooks
and other bulletins issued by the Indian Meteorological Department
(IMD), which is the World Meteorological Organization's Regional
Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC) for the basin.
The reported maximum sustained winds (MSW) are based on a 1-minute
averaging period, which is used by all U. S. civilian and military
weather services for tropical cyclone warnings. For synoptic
observations in the North Indian Ocean region, both 10-minute and
3-minute average winds are employed, but IMD makes no attempt to
modify the Dvorak scale for estimating tropical cyclone intensity;
hence, a 1-minute average MSW is implied. In the North Indian Ocean
basin JTWC usually does not initiate warnings until a system has
become well-organized and likely to attain tropical storm status
within 48 hours.
North Indian Ocean Tropical Activity for September
--------------------------------------------------
Three tropical cyclonic systems were classified by IMD during the
month of September. Two systems were treated as depressions, while
one became a named cyclonic storm. JTWC issued no warnings for any
of these systems. Cyclonic Storm Pyarr's origins lay in the South
China Sea when a tropical depression formed on 12 September and moved
westward into Vietnam without attaining tropical storm intensity. The
depression subsequently tracked westward across Southeast Asia and
eventually entered the Bay of Bengal. It then moved northwestward to
the head of the Bay, then turned west-southwestward toward India's East
Coast. Just offshore it strengthened and was named Pyarr by the IMD.
A report on this cyclonic storm follows.
A low-pressure area formed over the south-central Bay of Bengal on
6 September and moved northwestward toward coastal Andhra Pradesh on
the 7th. The system persisted in the region for several days, and
finally concentrated into a depression on the morning of 12 September
(Indian time) while located about 80 nm east of Paradip. The depression
moved west-northwestward and crossed the Orissa coast later that day
and continued moving further inland into central India. It weakened
into a low-pressure area on the 14th, but was briefly re-upgraded to
a depression on the 16th while centered near Agra. By the 17th it had
weakened once more over western Uttar Pradesh. This system's NRL Invest
number was 94B, and it was carried in JTWC's STWO's for the North Indian
Ocean as an area with 'poor' development potential.
Another low-pressure area formed in the northwestern Arabian Sea
near the southern Gujurat coast on 13 September. This system had become
concentrated enough to be classified as a tropical depression by early
on the 14th (Indian time) while located about 110 nm southwest of
Veraval, Gujurat. It persisted in the same area until the 15th and
weakened into a low-pressure area on the morning of the 16th. The system
then moved northward and inland into Gujurat state on the 17th. This
system's NRL Invest number was 95A, and it was given a 'fair' potential
for development by JTWC for a short time on the 13th/14th.
A special thanks to Huang Chunliang for compiling and sending me the
information on these depressions. Most of the above information was
obtained from the IMD's India Weekly Weather Reports. Following are
some rainfall amounts associated with these weather systems which were
also compiled by Chunliang. Only daily amounts >= 20 cm are listed.
(1) Bay of Bengal Depression
============================
Nawarangpur, ORISSA 30 cm [11/03-12/03Z]
Bhawanipatna, ORISSA 25 cm [12/03-13/03Z]
Hindol, ORISSA 23 cm [12/03-13/03Z]
Narsinghpur, ORISSA 22 cm [12/03-13/03Z]
Junagarh, ORISSA 21 cm [12/03-13/03Z]
Nayagarh, ORISSA 21 cm [12/03-13/03Z]
Phulbani, ORISSA 21 cm [12/03-13/03Z]
Bareilly, UTTAR PRADESH 27 cm [16/03-17/03Z]
Bareilly (FM), UTTAR PRADESH 21 cm [16/03-17/03Z]
Srinagar, UTTARANCHAL 24 cm [16/03-17/03Z]
Shantipuri, UTTARANCHAL 24 cm [16/03-17/03Z]
Nainital, UTTARANCHAL 20 cm [16/03-17/03Z]
(2) Arabian Sea Depression
==========================
Mangrol, GUJARAT 20 cm [12/03-13/03Z]
Pindwara, RAJASTHAN 20 cm [18/03-19/03Z]
CYCLONIC STORM PYARR
(BOB0502)
12 - 21 September
----------------------------------------
A. South China Sea Origin
-------------------------
A STWO issued by JTWC at 0600 UTC on 12 September indicated that an
area of convection had persisted in the South China Sea about 430 nm
west-southwest of Manila. QuikScat data depicted a broad, LLCC with
most of the deep convection confined equatorward of the center. JTWC
ranked this as a 'poor' development area and never issued any warnings.
Several of the Asian TCWCs, however, did classify this system as a
tropical depression, including JMA, HKO, the CWB of Taiwan, the
Guangzhou Regional Meteorological Centre (GRMC), and the Thai Meteor-
ological Department (TMD). All these warning agencies estimated peak
10-min avg winds of 30 kts associated with the depression. It seems
likely that this system had some pronounced monsoon depression
characteristics, and therefore JTWC did not initiate warnings, whereas
in general the Asian warning centers do not make such a sharp distinction
between monsoon depressions and "classic" tropical depressions.
The depression subsequently moved westward and inland into central
Vietnam around 13/0000 UTC. Following landfall the system took a turn
toward the northwest, reaching southern Laos by 13/1200 UTC, then
abruptly returned to a westerly track across central Thailand. While
in the South China Sea the system's Monterrey NRL Invest number was
93W, but upon entering the Bay of Bengal region it was renumbered as
96B. By 15/0000 UTC the weak depression's center was emerging into
the northern Andaman Sea.
B. Bay of Bengal History
------------------------
As tracked by the TMD, the depression moved westward, crossing the
southern tip of Myanmar (formerly Burma), thence turning northwestward
up the Bay of Bengal proper. The system moved erratically while south of
the delta of the Ganges River, then turned west-southwestward toward the
eastern coast of India. The TMD had maintained this disturbance as a
tropical depression all along, but the India Meteorological Department
(IMD) first classified it as a depression on the morning of the 17th
when it was centered approximately 215 nm southeast of Balasore. The
system moved in a generally westward direction and had reached deep
depression status (i.e., 30 kts) by the morning of 18 September when
centered about 55 nm east of Paradeep. The depression then began to
move in a west-southwesterly direction and intensified into Cyclonic
Storm Pyarr around 18/1200 UTC while located about 45 nm east-southeast
of Puri. The maximum winds estimated by the IMD were around 35-45 kts.
Cyclonic Storm Pyarr subsequently crossed the north Andhra Pradesh
coast near Kalingapatnam early on the 19th. It then moved westward
and lay centered about 50 km west of Kalingapatnam on the evening of
the 19th. It had weakened to a deep depression by around 19/2100 UTC
and to a depression by 1200 UTC on 20 September when it was located
about 150 km west of Jagdalpur. The system then moved northwestward
as it continued to weaken, passing near Chandrapur in Vidarbha early
on 21 September. The remnants continued to moved on into the region
of northwestern India before completely washing out on the 26th. (Some
of the above information was taken from the IMD India Weekly Weather
Reports, compiled and sent to the author by Huang Chunliang.)
JTWC did not issue any warnings on Pyarr, it being treated as a 'poor'
area in a couple of STWOs. However, satellite classifications from SAB
justified tropical storm intensity, remaining at T2.5/2.5 or higher for
over 24 hours prior to landfall, and peaking at T3.0/3.0 at 18/0230 UTC.
A graphic depicting the track of Cyclonic Storm Pyarr may be found
at the following link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2005/indian/BT-IMAGES/2005-93W-96B-PYARR.gif>
C. Rainfall Reports by Huang Chunliang
--------------------------------------
Following are rainfall observations compiled and sent to the author
by Huang Chunliang. A special thanks to Chunliang for his assistance.
(1) Observations from Thailand (only daily amount(s) >= 100 mm listed):
=======================================================================
SUPHAN BURI (14.47N/100.13E) 104.0 mm [12/12-13/12Z]
KO SICHANG (13.17N/100.80E) 137.6 mm [13/00-14/00Z]
KHLONG YAI (11.77N/102.88E) 134.2 mm [13/00-14/00Z]
CHANTHABURI (12.60N/102.12E) 133.1 mm [13/00-14/00Z]
CHANTHABURI (12.60N/102.12E) 172.1 mm [13/06-14/06Z]
KO SICHANG (12.60N/102.12E) 147.9 mm [13/06-14/06Z]
KHLONG YAI (11.77N/102.88E) 144.9 mm [13/06-14/06Z]
SUPHAN BURI (14.47N/100.13E) 128.4 mm [13/06-14/06Z]
BANGKOK (13.67N/100.62E) 116.4 mm [13/06-14/06Z]
CHON BURI (13.37N/100.98E) 115.5 mm [13/06-14/06Z]
LOP BURI (14.80N/100.62E) 111.3 mm [13/06-14/06Z]
DON MUANG (13.92N/100.60E) 109.3 mm [13/06-14/06Z]
SUPHAN BURI (14.47N/100.13E) 238.1 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
LOP BURI (14.80N/100.62E) 185.1 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
PRACHIN BURI (14.05N/101.37E) 181.8 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
CHANTHABURI (12.60N/102.12E) 170.7 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
KO SICHANG (13.17N/100.80E) 156.2 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
DON MUANG (13.92N/100.60E) 145.1 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
KHLONG YAI (11.77N/102.88E) 143.9 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
CHON BURI (13.37N/100.98E) 128.0 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
BANGKOK (13.67N/100.62E) 125.2 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
KANCHANABURI (14.02N/99.53E) 110.7 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
KABINBURI (13.98N/101.70E) 106.0 mm [13/12-14/12Z]
SUPHAN BURI (14.47N/100.13E) 263.6 mm [13/18-14/18Z]
LOP BURI (14.80N/100.62E) 180.4 mm [13/18-14/18Z]
PRACHIN BURI (14.05N/101.37E) 141.9 mm [13/18-14/18Z]
DON MUANG (13.92N/100.60E) 138.7 mm [13/18-14/18Z]
CHANTHABURI (12.60N/102.12E) 136.3 mm [13/18-14/18Z]
BANGKOK (13.67N/100.62E) 122.1 mm [13/18-14/18Z]
SUPHAN BURI (14.47N/100.13E) 190.4 mm [14/00-15/00Z]
LOP BURI (14.80N/100.62E) 119.5 mm [14/00-15/00Z]
KANCHANABURI (14.02N/99.53E) 119.0 mm [14/00-15/00Z]
THONG PHA PHUM (14.75N/98.63E) 100.3 mm [14/00-15/00Z]
SUPHAN BURI (14.47N/100.13E) 142.4 mm [14/06-15/06Z]
THONG PHA PHUM (14.75N/98.63E) 118.9 mm [14/06-15/06Z]
THONG PHA PHUM (14.75N/98.63E) 100.5 mm [14/12-15/12Z]
(2) Observations from India (only daily amount(s) >= 20 cm listed):
===================================================================
Jeypore, ORISSA 20 cm [18/03-19/03Z]
Kalingapatnam, ANDHRA PRADESH 35 cm [18/03-19/03Z]
Kakinada, ANDHRA PRADESH 28 cm [19/03-20/03Z]
Rajahmundry, ANDHRA PRADESH 20 cm [19/03-20/03Z]
Khammam, ANDHRA PRADESH 24 cm [19/03-20/03Z]
Valpoi, GOA 31 cm [21/03-22/03Z]
Mapusa, GOA 22 cm [21/03-22/03Z]
Bhatsa, MAHARASHTRA 21 cm [21/03-22/03Z]
Vyara, GUJARAT 22 cm [22/03-23/03Z]
Halol, GUJARAT 21 cm [22/03-23/03Z]
Sankheda, GUJARAT 21 cm [22/03-23/03Z]
Nainital, UTTARANCHAL 22 cm [24/03-25/03Z]
(Report written by Gary Padgett with significant contributions by
Huang Chunliang)
*************************************************************************
SOUTHWEST INDIAN OCEAN (SWI) - South Indian Ocean West of Longitude 90E
Activity for September: 1 tropical disturbance
Sources of Information
----------------------
The primary sources of tracking and intensity information for
Southwest Indian Ocean tropical cyclones are the warnings issued by
the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre on La Reunion Island, part of
Meteo France (MFR), and the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre
for the basin. However, tropical cyclones in this region are named
by the Sub-regional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Centres in Mauritius and
Madagascar with longitude 55E being the demarcation line between their
respective areas of naming responsibility. The La Reunion centre only
advises these agencies regarding the intensity of tropical systems.
References to sustained winds imply a 10-minute averaging period unless
otherwise stated.
In the companion tropical cyclone tracks file, I occasionally
annotate positions from warnings issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning
Center (JTWC) of the U. S. Air Force and Navy, located at Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, when they differ from MFR's coordinates by usually
40-50 nm or more. The JTWC warnings are also the source of the
1-minute average maximum sustained wind values included in the
tracks file. Additionally, information describing details of
satellite imagery and atmospheric circulation features included in
the narratives is often gleaned from the JTWC warnings.
Southwest Indian Ocean Tropical Activity for September
------------------------------------------------------
The first numbered (by MFR) tropical disturbance of the 2005-2006
season in the Southwest Indian Ocean appeared early in the month very
deep in the tropics and in the eastern extremity of the basin, being
located near 2.9S/88.7E at 0600 UTC on 5 September. The disturbance
moved to the southwest, and the final MFR bulletin, issued at 06/1200
UTC, placed it near 8.0S/83.5E, or far to the east of Diego Garcia.
The maximum winds were estimated at 25 kts (10-min avg) with locally
stronger winds to the south of the center. JTWC issued two TCFAs for
this system on the 5th and 6th which estimated maximum winds at 30 to
35 kts, yet no warnings were issued by that agency. A track for this
system was included in the accompanying cyclone tracks file for
September. A graphic depicting its track may be found at the following
link:
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/database/2006/SOHEM/BT-IMAGES/2006-01R-DISTURBANCE.gif>
*************************************************************************
NORTHWEST AUSTRALIA/SOUTHEAST INDIAN OCEAN (AUW) - From 90E to 135E
Activity for September: No tropical cyclones
*************************************************************************
NORTHEAST AUSTRALIA/CORAL SEA (AUE) - From 135E to 160E
Activity for September: No tropical cyclones
*************************************************************************
SOUTH PACIFIC (SPA) - South Pacific Ocean East of Longitude 160E
Activity for September: No tropical cyclones
South Pacific Tropical Activity for September
---------------------------------------------
There were no tropical cyclones in the South Pacific east of 160E
during September. The Nadi, Fiji, TCWC did issue some gale warnings
on the 4th and 5th for a LOW located east of the Dateline and to the
south of Tonga. This system was referred to as a depression in the
gale warnings, but the latitude and time of year suggest that it was
non-tropical or hybrid at best. No track was included for this LOW
in the September tropical cyclone tracks file.
*************************************************************************
SPECIAL FEATURE - SOURCES OF TROPICAL CYCLONE INFORMATION
The purpose of this section is to list some websites where many and
varied types of tropical cyclone information are archived. Many readers
will know about these already, but for the benefit of those who don't,
I wanted to include them.
(1) Aircraft Reconnaissance Information
---------------------------------------
Various types of messages from reconnaissance aircraft may be
retrieved from the following FTP site:
ftp://ftp.nhc.noaa.gov/pub/products/nhc/recon/>
Information regarding how to interpret the coded reconnaissance
messages may be found at the following URL:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/reconlist.shtml>
Links are also included to websites with further information about the
U. S. Air Force 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron and the NOAA Air-
craft Operations Center.
(2) Archived Advisories
-----------------------
All the advisory products (public advisories, forecast/advisories,
strike probabilities, discussions, various graphics) issued by TPC/NHC
are archived on TPC's website. For the current year (using 2004 as an
example), the archived products can be found at:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/index.shtml>
Links to tropical products archives for earlier years are available at
the following URL:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastall.shtml>
JTWC warnings for past storms are archived on the NRL Monterry website:
http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc_home.html>
On the NRL site, the link to past years can be found in the upper left
corner of the screen.
I am not aware at the moment of any other TCWC which archives all
its tropical cyclone warning/advisory products for public access, but
if I learn of any, I will add them to this list.
(3) Satellite Imagery
---------------------
Satellite images of tropical cyclones in various sensor bands are
available on the NRL Monterrey and University of Wisconsin websites,
courtesy of Jeff Hawkins and Chris Velden and their associates. The
links are:
http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc_home.html>
http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/tropic.html>
On the NRL site, the link to past years can be found in the upper left
corner of the screen. For the CIMSS site, a link to data archives is
located in the lower left portion of the screen.
Additional tropical satellite imagery, along with looping ability for
composite microwave imagery for the Western Hemisphere north of the
equator, can be found at:
(1) For the Eastern North Pacific:
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/trop-epac.html>
(2) For the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea:
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/trop-atl.html>
I'm sure there are other sites with available imagery available, and
as I learn of them, I will add the links to this list.
*************************************************************************
EXTRA FEATURE
In order to shorten the amount of typing in preparing the narrative
material, I have been in the habit of freely using abbreviations and
acronyms. I have tried to define most of these with the first usage
in a given summary, but I may have missed one now and then. Most of
these are probably understood by a majority of readers but perhaps a
few aren't clear to some. To remedy this I developed a Glossary of
Abbreviations and Acronyms which I first included in the August, 1998
summary. I don't normally include the Glossary in most months in
order to help keep them from being too long. If anyone would like to
receive a copy of the Glossary, please e-mail me and I'll be happy
to send them a copy.
*************************************************************************
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This summary should be considered a very preliminary
overview of the tropical cyclones that occur in each month. The cyclone
tracks (provided separately) will generally be based upon operational
warnings issued by the various tropical cyclone warning centers. The
information contained therein may differ somewhat from the tracking and
intensity information obtained from a "best-track" file which is based
on a detailed post-seasonal analysis of all available data. Information
on where to find official "best-track" files from the various warning
centers will be passed along from time to time.
The track files are not being sent via e-mail. They can be retrieved
from the archive sites listed below. (Note: I do have a limited e-mail
distribution list for the track files. If anyone wishes to receive
these via e-mail, please send me a message.)
Both the summaries and the track files are standard text files
created in DOS editor. Download to disk and use a viewer such as
Notepad or DOS editor to view the files.
The first summary in this series covered the month of October,
1997. Back issues can be obtained from the following websites
(courtesy of Michael Bath, Michael V. Padua, Michael Pitt, Chris
Landsea, and John Diebolt):
http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/>
http://www.typhoon2000.ph>
http://mpittweather.com>
ftp://ftp.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/pub/landsea/padgett/>
http://www.tropicalcyclone2005.com/>
Another website where much information about tropical cyclones may
be found is the website for the UK Meteorological Office. Their site
contains a lot of statistical information about tropical cyclones
globally on a monthly basis. The URL is:
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/tropicalcyclone>
TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORTS AVAILABLE
JTWC now has available on its website the Annual Tropical Cyclone
Report (ATCR) for 2004 (2003-2004 season for the Southern Hemisphere).
ATCRs for earlier years are available also.
The URL is: http://199.10.200.33/jtwc.html>
Also, TPC/NHC has available on its webpage nice "technicolor"
tracking charts for the 2004 Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific
tropical cyclones; also, storm reports for all the 2004 Atlantic
and Eastern North Pacific cyclones are now available, as well as
track charts and reports on storms from earlier years. Additionally,
some of the storm reports for the 2005 season are now available.
The URL is: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov>
A special thanks to Michael Bath of McLeans Ridges, New South Wales,
Australia, for assisting me with proofreading the summaries.
PREPARED BY
Gary Padgett
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 334-222-5327
Kevin Boyle (Eastern Atlantic, Western Northwest Pacific, South
China Sea)
E-mail: [email protected]
John Wallace (Assistance with Eastern North Pacific)
E-mail: [email protected]
Huang Chunliang (Assistance with Western Northwest Pacific, South
China Sea)
E-mail: [email protected]
Simon Clarke (Northeast Australia/Coral Sea, South Pacific)
E-mail: [email protected]
*************************************************************************
*************************************************************************
|
Document: summ0509.htm
Updated: 12th February 2006 |
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