Typhoon Fury - Homepage of storm chaser James Reynolds

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Welcome to TyphoonFury.com, the new website covering my global adventures and expeditions to investigate the world's most powerful storms - Pacific typhoons.

Dodging Eagles, Brushing Ridges, Flying Through Gorges, Blasted by Torrential Rains and Racing over the Pacific at 100ft - Aerial Filming Along the Most Typhoon Ravaged Coastline in the World - Taiwan, 6th January 1200z

I am currently in Taiwan co-ordinating an aerial shoot with Kaimu Productions and world renowned camerman Ron Chapple from Aerial Filmworks for a major international broadcaster. Today we spent over 3 hours in the air battling chaotic weather filming some of the most incredible scenery on the planet - Taiwan's rugged east coast and Taroko Gorge.

We had a very near miss with a giant eagle which could have caused significant damage to our helicopter if we'd hit it. Tomorrow we will be taking off at dawn to film the sunrise casting light on the 10,000ft mountains erupting out of the Pacific.

We are using a brand new Jet Ranger helicopter with one of the world's most sophisticated aerial camera systems, the gyro-stabalised Cineflex V14.

Take off	The incredible scenery along the east coast of Taiwan shot at 100ft doing 100kts	The city of Ilan straddles the Pacific Ocean in eastern Taiwan
Unpredictable weather made the shooting very challenging	Coming into land	A lone truck travels the perilous Suao-Hualien highway in eastern Taiwan

Taking a seat in the back, enjoying the ride and viewing the aerial shots

Typhoon Dolphin and Typhoon Dogs! 16th December 2008 1100z

A late season tropical storm Dolphin was upgraded to minimal typhoon status with sustained winds of 65kts according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency. Dolphin has changed its course from a westerly to northerly direction sparing the Philippines a hit. The typhoon is due to weaken rapidly over the next few days as it encounters unfavourable conditions.

Since things are pretty quiet at the moment I thought I would post a funny video i shot of some dogs behaving strangely during the eyewall of typhoon Sinlaku which smacked Taiwan in September. Instead of sheltering they decided to run out into the middle of the storm's fury!

Revisiting the Mega Flood - A Trip Back to Taroko Gorge One Year After Super Typhoon Sepat

Last month Geoff Mackley and I were flown out to Taiwan to take part in a documentary for a major international broadcaster. The topic was to revisit the areas from where we covered the epic floods in the aftermath of super typhoon Sepat, the strongest storm of the 2007 typhoon season. The key location was Taroko Gorge where Geoff and I were privileged to witness one of the most spectacular flood events ever caught on camera.

Below is a gallery of shots which were taken last month and one year ago illustrating the huge scale of the flooding:

View looking downstream. The digger on the road is useful for scale.

The same view during an extreme flood event

Looking upstream towards a tunnel entrance

Same view during the post super typhoon Sepat mega flood. Image courtesy of Geoff Mackley

The infamous ledge from which we shot amazing footage of the floods close up

This is a video still grab showing the water level almost reaching the underside of the ledge

The bridge at the entrance to Taroko Gorge on a normal day

A huge rise in the water level

September 2008 - Month of Madness

I managed to intercept three consecutive typhoons in the space of three weeks, the first time this has ever been achieved in the western Pacific. Typhoons Sinlaku and Hagupit were category 4 equivalent storms whilst Jangmi reached a staggering category 5 equivalent status, the strongest storm in 13 years!

Full video and photo reports from these storms can be found below:

Super Typhoon Jangmi Smashes Into Eastern Taiwan - A Peak of 115kts From JMA Makes This the Strongest Pacific Typhoon in 13 Years - 30th September 2008 0600z

We missed the worst of the winds since we were unable to move north due to landslides on the perilous Hualien - Suao highway. However we witnessed the full fury of the Pacific Ocean raging ashore with phenomenal waves.

Video I shot of massive storm surge waves smashing into eastern Taiwan.

Click on images below for larger versions

Updates below which I posted before Jangmi made landfall

Latest visible satellite image shows super typhoon Jangmi churning towards Taiwan. Image courtesy of NRL Monterey

Latest CWB radar image

Typhoon Hagupit Pummels Hong Kong with Strong Winds and Heavy Rain - Gusts over 180km/h recorded on the hills around Hong Kong Airport - Typhoon Signal 8 Hoisted - 23rd September 2008 1900z

Here is video I shot of the intense wind and rain which hit Hong Kong earlier this evening!

A visible satellite image earlier today showing typhoon Hagupit as it approached Hong Kong. Image courtesy of NRL Monterey

Below is a live report I posted in the immediate aftermath of the storm:

The Hong Kong government issued typhoon signal T8 this evening effectively shutting down the city as typhoon Hagupit passed close by offshore. Hagupit has intensified into a very strong typhoon with sustained winds of 105mph according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency.

The wind is still blowing strongly and various weather stations around the territory have registered winds in excess of 100mph. In the towns of Stanley and Shek O on the south side of Hong Kong island winds blew down trees and blocked roads and businesses were forced to close early all over the bustling metropolis of seven million people.

I have just returned after spending 6 hours documenting the most extreme parts of the storm. Video will be posted shortly.

www.hko.gov.hk - Hong Kong Observatory website

http://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/ - Official NW Pacific typhoon forecast from Japanese Meteorological Agency

Typhoon Sinlaku Smashes Taiwan with Winds Over 130mph and 1600mm of Rain - Photos and Video Below - 18th September 2008 1600z
Visible satellite image of typhoon Sinlaku a few hours before it crashed into northern Taiwan. Picture courtesy of NRL Monterey	CWB radar image with our position marked prior to landfall
I intercepted the intense eyewall of typhoon Sinlaku with fellow storm chaser Geoff Mackley. We were in the thick of it for over 5 hours in the middle of the night and had to take shelter in the ladies' toilets at the port complex in Toucheng city. This is a video I shot showing the incredible conditions we witnessed in the eyewall of typhoon Sinlaku

Today we visited the mountain town of Lushan which was innundated by a huge flash flood caused by over 1600mm of rain which fell in the area. There was extensive damage including a hotel which had collapsed on its side into the river which now runs through the main street. The photo below show the severity of the flooding.

Typhoon Sinlaku Smashes Taiwan with Winds Over 130mph and 1600mm of Rain - Photos and Video Below - 18th September 2008 1600z

Visible satellite image of typhoon Sinlaku a few hours before it crashed into northern Taiwan. Picture courtesy of NRL Monterey

CWB radar image with our position marked prior to landfall

I intercepted the intense eyewall of typhoon Sinlaku with fellow storm chaser Geoff Mackley. We were in the thick of it for over 5 hours in the middle of the night and had to take shelter in the ladies' toilets at the port complex in Toucheng city.

This is a video I shot showing the incredible conditions we witnessed in the eyewall of typhoon Sinlaku

Today we visited the mountain town of Lushan which was innundated by a huge flash flood caused by over 1600mm of rain which fell in the area. There was extensive damage including a hotel which had collapsed on its side into the river which now runs through the main street. The photo below show the severity of the flooding.

Super typhoon Krosa Slams Taiwan - Pictures and Video Uploaded - 6th October 2007

(Click on the link above for full account)

I have just returned from Taiwan after making a successful intercept of super typhoon Krosa with Geoff Mackley as it made landfall on northern Taiwan. Krosa slammed into the island near Ilan as category 4 equivalent storm and dumped over a metre of rain. Taiwan has been hit hard this year, only in August I travelled to central Taiwan with Geoff to cover super typhoon Sepat as it wrought havoc.

Below are pictures and video of the expedition. Click on the pictures for larger versions.

I shot the pictures below during and after super typhoon Krosa's passage over northern Taiwan:

Taking wind speed measurements near Jilong Harbour in northern Taiwan before super typhoon Krosa made landfall	Ballistic eyewall winds pummel Jilong in northern Taiwan just before super typhoon Krosa made landfall	Typhoon Krosa's ferocious winds blew this waterfall back up the mountain side
Surging seas at Fulong Harbour in northern Taiwan as super typhoon Krosa made landfall	Local people near Fulong, northern Taiwan, as pounded by typhoon Krosa's ferocious wind and rain	Huge waves pounded Taiwan's northeast coast as typhoon Krosa approaches

Super typhoon Sepat - Taiwan, 18th August 2007

(Click on the link above for full account)

typhoonfury.com

Warning #19 from JTWC showing super typhoon Sepat on course for a direct hit on Taiwan with current sustained winds of 135kts gusting to 165kts. (Image courtesy of Joint Typhoon Warning Centre)	A satellite picture of super typhoon Sepat at its peak off the east coast of the Philippines. (Picture courtesy of NRL Monterey)

The videos below shows the incredible strength of super typhoon Sepat's eyewall as it made landfall in the early hours. Geoff Mackley and myself found shelter in a hospital and rode out the 130mph winds in relative safety:

Part 1 of super typhoon Sepat's ferocious eyewall winds and torrential rain

Part 2 shows the aftermath of super typhoon Sepat and the insane flooding

Super typhoon Sepat unleashed biblical floods in Taroko Gorge and the conditions for photography were some of the most extreme I have ever come across. The photos below illustrate the ferocious floods.

typhoon sepat taiwan

This enhanced photo shows the chaotic scene outside the hospital as super typhoon Sepat roared ashore	Raging floods pound Taroko Gorge in eastern Taiwan in the aftermath of super typhoon Sepat	A tense moment as I pose for a photo with raging floods behind me
A river in full flood south of Hualien, Taiwan after super typhoon Sepat made landfall	An emergency vehicle battles flood water south of Hualien, Taiwan after typhoon Sepat made landfall	Geoff Mackley films the awesome flood waters in the aftermath of typhoon Sepat
	Documenting the action in Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

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