Typhoon Bavi loses strength ahead of landfall in eastern China
Bavi is expected to produce destructive wind gusts across eastern China into Monday.
The Japanese island of Okinawa was slammed by Typhoon Bavi with intense winds and storm surge on July 10. Storm chaser Dr. Reed Timmer was on the island to cover the chaotic scenes from the storm.
After devastating the Northern Mariana Island of Rota and causing damage in Guam earlier this week, Typhoon Bavi continues to lose strength as it sets its sights on eastern China.
Typhoon Bavi, the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane (90 mph or 154 km/h) on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and is southeast of Wenling in the eastern province of Zhejiang as of Saturday local time. Bavi is moving toward the west-northwest. The typhoon was downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 2 between Thursday and Friday, local time, and then to a Category 1 on Saturday.
Bavi's Eye Path. The wind intensity of the storm at forecast points along the Eye Path® correlates to the different levels of intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, where appropriate.
The storm is expected to make landfall in Fujian or Zhejiang province in eastern China Saturday night, local time.
Ahead of Bavi's arrival, China evacuated more than 1.7 million people across Zhejiang province, and more than 100,000 in neighbouring Fujian âprovince, reports Reuters.
Bavi is expected to produce destructive wind gusts eastern China into Monday. Wind gusts up to 160 mph (260 km/h), with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 200 mph (320 km/h), are anticipated and will result in power outages, structural damage and logistical delays.
Bavi's wind gusts.
Rainfall could total up to 18 inches (450 mm) and an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 24 inches (600 mm). This rain will result in flooding, localized mudslides, structural damage, transportation disruptions and logistical delays. Moisture from Bavi can eventually produce areas of heavier rain in northeastern China and North Korea Tuesday and Wednesday, local time.
Coastal inundation is likely along the Fujian and Zhejiang coasts of China on Saturday, July 11. The combination of wind, rain and coastal inundation will result in Bavi being rated a 4 on the AccuWeather RealImpact™ Scale for Tropical Cyclones in Taiwan and eastern China.
Bavi's forecast total rainfall.
Super Typhoon Bavi packed a punch when it charged the Mariana Islands Sunday night. It directly impacted the island of Rota, 50 miles north of Guam, where Andersen Air Force Base is located. Weather stations gusted to 110 mph on Saipan, to the north, and 96 mph on Guam, to the south of Rota, where communications towers fell, homes sustained massive damage, and trees were stripped of their leaves.
Extreme meteorologist Dr. Reed Timmer was in Ishigaki, Japan on Friday where outer bands from Bavi brought intense, tropical storm-force winds and storm surge.
Supercell storms are thriving in the outer bands of Typhoon Bavi, as extreme meteorologist Dr. Reed Timmer explains.
In April, Super Typhoon Sinlaku took a similar path through the islands, and power was still out on Saipan and Tinian from that storm, even before Bavi arrived.
A cluster of thunderstorms and a developing tropical rainstorm near the Federated States of Micronesia will gradually organize and strengthen as it tracks west-northwestward over the next few days.
There is a good chance for a tropical depression and storm to form in the vicinity of the Mariana Islands this weekend or early next week. Any development in the area could bring heavy rain and gusty winds to the Mariana Islands this weekend, potentially slowing cleanup efforts following the recent passage of Bavi. Beyond the Mariana Islands, the steering flow may result in a turn to the northeast next week, which may limit additional land impacts, but people and interests in Japan should monitor the system.
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