typhoonfury.com

typhoonfury.com

Tropical Cyclone Alert - Typhoon Fengshen Tears Across the Philippines, Heading for Manila- 21st June 2008 1600z

Satellite image shows powerful typhoon Fengshen intensifying as it crosses the Philippines. Image courtesy of NRL Monterey.

Typhoon Fengshen is continuing its destructive passage across the Philippines and is now on a crash course with the capital Manila.

Typhoon Fengshen made landfall on the eastern Philippines province of Samar yesterday with winds over 80 miles per hour before intensifying further over the Visayas with winds gusting up to 150 miles per hour.

According to the Japanese Meteorological Agency, Fengshen has weakened slightly but still has sustained winds of 80 miles per hour.

According to the typhoon monitoring website, www.typhoon2000.ph, the Philippines government has issued storm warning 3 for Boracay, Lubang Islands, Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Calamian group, Aklan and northern Antique and Capiz.  Manila is currently under storm warning 2.

Xinhua news agency is reporting that at least 20 people have been killed so far and the toll is likely to rise as the typhoon strikes the heavily populated capital and surrounding areas.

Fengshen means god of wind in Chinese. The extended forecast track is highly uncertain and it appears that south China, Hong Kong and Macau could be at risk of a hit in 4 days.

Typhoons, known as hurricanes in the Americas, are vast storms often hundred of miles wide rotating around a centre of very low pressure. They regularly strike the coastal nations of East Asia bringing torrential rains, high winds and damaging storm surges.

For more information please visit the following monitoring and forecast websites:

Xinhua News Agency Article

www.typhoon2000.ph - Philippines typhoon monitoring website run by Michael Padua

http://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/ - Official regional typhoon forecasting agency

http://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc.php - US military's Joint Typhoon Warning Centre

I will provide regular updates as this situation develops.

Deadly Floods Sweep Southern China - 15th June 2008 1430z

Devastating floods have struck southern China affecting millions of people and marking the start to the annual summer flooding season. Torrential rains have affected 9 provinces in the south killing 55 people, 19 of who were in Guangdong province.

Thunderstorms are currently affecting large areas of coastal China and the Hong Kong Observatory forecast continued heavy rains over the next two days. Every summer floods regularly ravage southern China killing hundreds and displacing millions. Next month the threat of tropical storms striking China increases as the typhoon season ramps up.

Atlantic Hurricane Season 2008 - Above Average Activity Forecast by Tropical Storm Risk Group - 6th June 2008

The British forecasting group Tropical Storm Risk released their updated Atlantic hurricane outlook on 5th June. They are forecasting between 14 - 15 (14.4) named storms of which 7 - 8 (7.7) will be hurricanes and 3 - 4 (3.4) will be intense hurricanes, category 3 or higher. They are also forecasting an above average rate of tropical storm and hurricane landfalls on mainland USA.

The key factors taken into account when drawing up this forecast are anticipated enhancement of high level trade winds which help developing tropical storms to rotate as well as slightly above average sea surface temperatures.

This year's hurricane season got off to a remarkable start with the formation of the first named tropical storm, Arthur, just hours before the official season began on 1st June. The storm made landfall on Belize and later pased over southern Mexico. Arthur was especially unique because it was upgraded whilst over land and never had a single advisory issued by the National Hurricane Centre whilst over water. Tropical storms thrive over warm ocean waters and usually dissipate rapidly over land hence the obscure nature of Arthur.

For the full Tropical Storm Risk forecast please visit http://tsr.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/

Typhoon Nakri Weakening in the NW Pacific - 1st June 2008 1130z

I have just been in China's western province of Xinjiang organising a shoot with Kaimu Productions for a Channel 4 (UK) travel and adventure series. Bordering Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan this is China's Islamic heartland. Huge mountain ranges and vast deserts make this the most remote and wild of all of China's provinces.