Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | August 12,2007 |
Remnant low | August 20,2007 |
Dissipated | August 24,2007 |
Violent typhoon | |
10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
Highest winds | 205 km/h (125 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 910 hPa (mbar);26.87 inHg |
Category 5-equivalent super typhoon | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
Highest winds | 260 km/h (160 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 918 hPa (mbar);27.11 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | >43 total |
Damage | >$693 million (2007 USD) |
Areas affected | Philippines,Taiwan,China |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2007 Pacific typhoon season |
Typhoon Sepat,known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Egay,was the eighth named tropical storm and the strongest tropical cyclone of the 2007 Pacific typhoon season,that affected the Philippines and made landfall in Taiwan and Fujian. Sepat originated on August 11 via a low-circulation center SE of Naha,Okinawa,and was named by the Japan Meteorological Agency as Sepat on August 12 and Egay in the Philippines by PAGASA as it entered the PAR. Sepat underwent an explosive intensification on the night of August 13,reaching peak intensity at Category 5-equivalent super typhoon intensity the following morning. The storm maintained its strength for 2 days,until it underwent an eyewall replacement cycle,just before he storm makes landfall in Taiwan on August 17 (+21:00 UTC) as a Category 3-equivalent typhoon. After crossing the Taiwanese strait,Sepat;already weakening into Category 1 status due to unfavorable conditions,made a second landfall in China on August 18,2007. The storm persisted across Mainland China,as it transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on August 20,and Sepat,now an extratropical low continued through the Chinese mainland until it finally dissipated near Yunnan Province on August 24.
More than 43 deaths were directly blamed on Sepat;3 out of the 43 were from the Philippines due to drowning brought on by heavy rains from the southwest monsoon enhanced by Sepat,with total insured losses estimated at $692 million (2007 USD),or $869.66 million (2020 USD;adjusted for inflation).
On August 11, a low-level circulation center formed in conjunction with a persistent area of convection about 1,280 km (800 mi) southeast of Naha, Okinawa. Northerly upper-level winds initially provided beneficial divergence, though also resulted in detrimental wind shear and lack of inflow. [1] Upper-level conditions gradually became more favorable for development as the disturbance tracked along the eastern periphery of an upper-level anticyclone. With convective rain bands wrapping into the circulation, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a tropical cyclone formation alert on the system late on August 11. [2] Remaining nearly stationary between ridges to its northeast and southwest, the system developed further, and early on August 12 the JTWC classified it as Tropical Depression 09W. [3] Shortly thereafter, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) classified it as a tropical depression while located about 1,245 km (774 mi) southeast of Okinawa. [4]
Twelve hours later, the JTWC upgraded the tropical depression to a tropical storm [5] based on Dvorak technique satellite intensity estimates and [6] the storm exhibiting tightly-curved convective bands. An upper-level low helped to reduce wind shear that had been affecting the storm. [6] The JTWC also warned of the possibility of rapid intensification. [6] The JMA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm later that day [7] and named it Sepat, a name contributed by Malaysia referring to a freshwater fish species. [8]
By early the next morning, August 13, Sepat had a banding eye visible on microwave satellite imagery [9] and had remained in an environment conducive for strengthening, including weakening wind shear. An upper-level anticyclone also moved over the storm. [9] By now, Sepat had moved into PAGASA's area of responsibility and attained the local name "Egay". The JMA upgraded Sepat to a severe tropical storm shortly after. [10] Sepat continued to slowly gain more organisation and intensify further, [11] and started to move faster under the influence of a subtropical steering ridge. [11] Sepat strengthened into a typhoon on the morning of August 14 [12] [13] under still-decreasing wind shear and favourable diffluence. [14]
Sepat developed a cloud-filled eye measuring 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi) across by later that night, part of a larger central dense overcast nearly 130 nmi (240 km), 150 mi) wide. [15] Favourable sea surface temperatures of 29–30 °C (84–86 °F) allowed Sepat to continue intensifying despite decrease of poleward outflow. [15] By this time, Sepat had deepened to 955 hPa. [16] The JTWC also noted possible imminent rapid intensification of the storm. [15]
Late that night, Sepat underwent rapid intensification as expected, and was upgraded by the JTWC to a Category 4-equivalent super typhoon the next morning. [17] The JMA analysed Sepat at 940 hPa at the same time. [18] The deep convection warmed slightly and underwent slight fluctuations during the afternoon. [19] During this period, Sepat slowed in forward speed and took a turn from a west-southwest motion to a more poleward one. [20] Its eye also cleared out, became slightly larger, and warmed. [20] By late that night, Sepat had become the strongest storm of the season to date, with the JMA analyzing its central pressure at 925 hPa, [21] lower than Typhoon Man-yi's minimum of 935 hPa.
Continuing to intensify, [22] Sepat reached a peak minimum central pressure of 910 hPa, as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon, on the morning of August 16. [23] Sepat managed to maintain its cloud-free eye. [22] High ocean heat content and good equatorward outflow allowed Sepat to maintain its intensity, but an eyewall replacement cycle began later that night. [24] The eyewall replacement cycle continued throughout the night, and by the next morning, Sepat displayed concentric eyewalls, with the inner eyewall being weaker. [25] The JTWC downgraded it to a typhoon later that evening. [26]
It made landfall in eastern Taiwan between Taitung and Hualien on the morning of August 18 local time at around 5 a.m. (2100 UTC August 17) [27] and weakened to a minimal typhoon. [28] After crossing the island, Sepat held on to minimal typhoon intensity before weakening to a severe tropical storm that night.[ citation needed ] It made a second landfall, in China, about 24 hours after landfall on Taiwan and was downgraded to a tropical storm the next morning. It further weakened inland, and the JMA issued its final advisory on the morning of August 20, with the storm weakening into a remnant low shortly afterward. For the next several days, Sepat's remnants drifted westward and then southwestward, before dissipating near Yunnan Province on August 24.
The Government of the Republic of China issued sea typhoon warnings on the morning of August 16 and land warnings later that evening. [29] At all county and city levels, a typhoon holiday was declared for August 18 in preparation for the storm. In the Philippines, PAGASA issued Public Storm Warning Signals 1 to 3 (4 is the highest signal) for most provinces of Luzon. [30]
Over 900,000 people were evacuated in eastern China, and over 100 flights had to be cancelled. [31] In Taiwan, nearly 2,000 people had to be evacuated. [32]
After Sepat made landfall in China, the regional meteorological office in Hunan Province sent over 2.25 million text messages to residents to warn them about the storm's remnants. [33]
On August 15, monsoon rains brought by Typhoon Sepat flooded and paralyzed traffic in Metro Manila. [34] Classes and services in government offices were suspended until August 17. [35] At least three people drowned. [32] About 200 people were evacuated from Manila due to flooding. [36]
Sustained winds of 126 km/h (78 mph) were recorded off the Taiwanese coast on August 18 as Sepat moved through the country. [31]
Heavy rainfall in Taiwan, which reached 984 mm (38.7 in) at Tianhsiang in Hualien, [37] resulted in numerous mudslides, especially in mountain regions and in the south [31] while the combination of the precipitation and winds caused an estimated $1.14 billion (2007 NT$, $34.5 million 2007 USD) in agricultural damage. [38] More than 70,000 homes lost power, and nearly a week after the storm passed through 9,000 people remained without electricity. [32]
The Suao-Hualien Highway was also closed due to landslides brought by the typhoon. [37] One person was reported killed in Taiwan. [32]
In Fujian Province, Sepat's winds felled billboards and ripped roofs off houses and two people were killed, while a tornado was reported in Zhejiang, killing 13 people and injuring at least 60 more. [31] Most counties received almost 200 mm (7.9 in) of rainfall. [33] Sepat caused landslides in Fujian, leaving 12 people missing. [33] Landslides were the cause of at least half the 39 deaths in China. [32] Damage was also reported in Jiangxi and Hunan, and damage in the four provinces was estimated at 5 billion yuan (US$658 million). [32]
The 2007 Pacific typhoon season was a near average season which featured 24 named storms, fourteen typhoons, and five super typhoons. It was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation, in which tropical cyclones form in the western Pacific Ocean. The season ran throughout 2007, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and November. The season's first named storm, Kong-rey, developed on March 30, while the season's last named storm, Mitag, dissipated on November 27. The season's first typhoon, Yutu, reached typhoon status on May 18, and became the first super typhoon of the year on the next day.
The 2007 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was one of the most active North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons on record. The North Indian Ocean cyclone season has no official bounds, but cyclones tend to form between April and December, with peaks in May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northern Indian Ocean.
This timeline documents all events that have taken place during the 2007 Pacific typhoon season. This article is limited to the Western Pacific basin which is located north of the equator and between 100°E and the International Date Line. Systems that reach tropical storm intensity are assigned a name by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Tropical depressions that form within the basin are assigned a number with a "W" suffix by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). Additionally, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigns names to tropical cyclones that either form in or move into its self defined area of responsibility, which runs from 135°E to 115°E and 5°N to 25°N.
The 2008 Pacific typhoon season was a below average season which featured 22 named storms, eleven typhoons, and two super typhoons. The season had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2008, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
The 2007–08 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was the third most active tropical cyclone season, along with the 1985–86 season and behind the 1993–94 season and the 2018–19 season, with twelve named tropical cyclones developing in the region. It began on November 15, 2007, and ended on April 30, 2008, with the exception for Mauritius and the Seychelles, which ended May 15. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the basin, which is west of 90°E and south of the Equator. Tropical cyclones in this basin are monitored by the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre in Réunion.
The 2007–08 Australian region cyclone season was a slightly below-average tropical cyclone season. The season began with an early start, with the formation of the first tropical cyclone on 29 July, which was only recognized as a tropical cyclone during post-season analysis. This was the second time that a tropical cyclone had formed during July. The other one was Cyclone Lindsay in the 1996–1997 season. The next tropical cyclone that formed was Cyclone Guba, which formed on 13 November with TCWC Port Moresby assigning the name Guba on 14 November, which was the first named storm within TCWC Port Moresby's area of responsibility since Cyclone Epi in June 2003. Guba was also the first cyclone to occur in the Queensland region in November since 1977.
Typhoon Fitow was the ninth named tropical storm of the 2007 Pacific typhoon season that made landfall in Japan. At its peak, it was thought to have been a minimal Category 2 typhoon by the JTWC, but was, in post-storm analysis, downgraded to a Category 1-equivalent typhoon by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The name Fitow was contributed by the Federated States of Micronesia, and is Yapese for a beautiful fragrant flower. The typhoon killed at least 2 people in Tokyo and was the first typhoon to hit the city since Typhoon Mawar in 2005. Damage from Fitow totaled to around 1 billion.
The 2007–08 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was a cycle of the annual tropical cyclone season in the South-West Indian Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere. It began on November 15, 2007, and ended on April 30, 2008, with the exception for Mauritius and the Seychelles, which ended May 15. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the basin, which is west of 90°E and south of the Equator. Tropical cyclones in this basin are monitored by the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre in Réunion.
The 2007–08 Australian region cyclone season was only the second season to have a tropical cyclone form in July. This timeline documents all the storm formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, as well as dissipation. The season officially began on 1 November 2007, and lasted until 30 April 2008. However a tropical cyclone moving into the region from the South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season on 29 July, meant that the season started 29 days after the Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone year started on 1 July 2007. The timeline includes information which was not operationally released, meaning that information from post-storm reviews by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, such as information about a Cyclone that was not upgraded operationally, has been included.
Typhoon Kalmaegi, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Helen, was the seventh named storm and the fifth typhoon that was recognised by the Japan Meteorological Agency. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center also recognised it as the eighth tropical depression, the seventh tropical storm and the sixth typhoon of the 2008 Pacific typhoon season.
Typhoon Pabuk, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Chedeng, was a minimal typhoon that formed on August 5, 2007. The system made landfall on Taiwan on August 7, and on August 9 Pabuk passed to the south of Hong Kong.
The 2009 Pacific typhoon season was a below average season that spawned only 22 named storms, 13 typhoons, and five super typhoons. It was also recognized as the deadliest season in the Philippines for decades. The first half of the season was very quiet whereas the second half of the season was extremely active. The season's first named storm, Kujira, developed on May 3 while the season's last named storm, Nida, dissipated on December 3.
The 2010 Pacific typhoon season, with 14 named storms, was the least active Pacific typhoon season on record. Seven of them strengthened into typhoons while one reached super typhoon intensity. All of the 14 named storms developed west of 150°E.
The 2017 Pacific typhoon season was a below-average season in terms of accumulated cyclone energy and the number of typhoons and super typhoons, and the first since the 1977 season to not produce a Category 5-equivalent typhoon on the Saffir–Simpson scale. The season produced a total of 27 named storms, 11 typhoons, and only two super typhoons, making it an average season in terms of storm numbers. It was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation, in which tropical cyclones form in the western Pacific Ocean. The season runs throughout 2017, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Muifa, developed on April 25, while the season's last named storm, Tembin, dissipated on December 26. This season also featured the latest occurrence of the first typhoon of the year since 1998, with Noru reaching this intensity on July 23.
The 2018 Pacific typhoon season was at the time, the costliest Pacific typhoon season on record, until the record was beaten by the following year. The season was well above-average, producing twenty-nine storms, thirteen typhoons, seven super typhoons and six Category 5 tropical cyclones. The season ran throughout 2018, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Bolaven, developed on January 3, while the season's last named storm, Man-yi, dissipated on November 28. The season's first typhoon, Jelawat, reached typhoon status on March 29, and became the first super typhoon of the year on the next day.
The 2021 Pacific typhoon season was the second consecutive to have below average tropical cyclone activity, with twenty-two named storms, and was the least active since 2011. Nine became typhoons, and five of those intensified into super typhoons. This low activity was caused by a strong La Niña that had persisted from the previous year. The season's first named storm, Dujuan, developed on February 16, while the last named storm, Rai, dissipated on December 21. The season's first typhoon, Surigae, reached typhoon status on April 16. It became the first super typhoon of the year on the next day, also becoming the strongest tropical cyclone in 2021. Surigae was also the most powerful tropical cyclone on record in the Northern Hemisphere for the month of April. Typhoons In-fa and Rai are responsible for more than half of the total damage this season, adding up to a combined total of $2.02 billion.
The 2023 Pacific typhoon season was the fourth consecutive below-average season and became the third-most inactive typhoon season on record in terms of named storms, with just 17 named storms developing, only ahead of 2010 and 1998. Despite the season occurring during an El Niño event, which typically favors activity in the basin, activity was abnormally low. This was primarily due to a consistent period of negative PDO, which typically discourages tropical storm formation in this basin. The season was less active than the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season in terms of named storms, the fourth such season on record, after 2005, 2010 and 2020. The season's number of storms also did not exceed that of the 2023 Pacific hurricane season. Only ten became typhoons, with four strengthening further into super typhoons. However, it was very destructive, primarily due to Typhoon Doksuri which devastated the northern Philippines, Taiwan, and China in July, becoming the costliest typhoon on record as well as the costliest typhoon to hit mainland China, and Typhoon Haikui in September, which devastated China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The season was less active in Southeast Asia, with no tropical storm making landfall in mainland Vietnam.
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Typhoon Man-yi, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Bebeng, was a powerful tropical cyclone that battered Japan as a weakening typhoon and became the second super typhoon of the 2007 Pacific typhoon season, just after Yutu. The fourth named storm and the third typhoon of this season, Man-yi formed from a monsoon trough near the Philippines on July 5. The disturbance gradually organized and on 12:00 UTC on July 27, the JTWC issued a TCFA for the developing system. Under favorable conditions, the disturbance rapidly organized to a tropical storm, with the JMA naming it Man-yi. As it entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on July 11, the storm explosively organized on the Philippine Sea, before passing near Okinawa on 13:00 UTC on the next day. Man-yi began to weaken on July 13 due to increasingly unfavorable conditions, before scraping southern Japan on the night of the same day. Due to the deteriorating conditions of the typhoon, the JMA and the JTWC downgraded the system to a tropical storm, before issuing their final warning as it became extratropical on July 15.
Typhoon Bolaven was an extremely powerful tropical cyclone that struck the Northern Mariana Islands in mid-October 2023. The fifteenth named storm of the 2023 Pacific typhoon season, Bolaven originated on October 6 near the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and moved to the northwest.