West Pacific Typhoon Trifecta (Updated)

by JAWnOn | September 30, 2008 at 12:36 am

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1215hrs JST 4 October 2008

According to current imagery(0130hrsz), Higos is fading near Hainan, China. Even with the disippating of the final Typhoon Trifecta storm there seems to be little lull in the current tropical cyclone season. West Pacific imagery indicates a new system has developed on the southeast tip of the Philippines designated as 93W. The new disturbance has not shown up on any other imagery and no information is avalable at this time other than what is available on the floater section of the NOAA site.

1130hrs JST 3 October 2008

According to the latest Google Earth imagery (1800hrsUTC 2Oct08), tropical depression Higos is no longer forecast to head towards Taiwan. Instead the storm is predicted to take a more westerly path as originally indicated by JMA.

1100hrs JST 2 October 2008

The latest Google Earth imagery (1800hrsUTC 1 Oct08) has all the systems, except Higos, as having dissipated. Google Earth projected forecast imagery has tropical depression Higos curving towards Taiwan over the next several days.

1735hrs JST

According to inquirer.net, Higos (a.k.a. 21w and Pablo) was downgraded to a tropical depression earlier today. Latest JMA information has Jangmi and Mekkhala dissipating. There are reports of loss of life in Vietnam due to the latter system.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Tropical Storm Mekkhala slammed into central Vietnam on Tuesday, killing three people and leaving 10 others missing, disaster officials said.
A 9-year-old girl and her 7-year-old brother were swept away while crossing a stream in Quang Binh province, said disaster official Nguyen Ngoc Dien. Three other people were missing elsewhere in the province, he said.
In neighboring Ha Tinh province, a man died when he was blown off the roof of his home while trying to reinforce it during the storm. Two teenagers in the province were missing after being swept away while crossing a stream, said disaster official Le Dinh Son.
In Quang Tri province, five people were reported missing. source: usatoday.com

No further information on the mystery system Twenty-one, which appears on Google Earth imagery, has been available.

1325hrs JST

The latest Google Earth imagery (0000hrs z 1 October 2008) still indicates two seperate systems near the Philippines, tropical storms Twenty-one and Higos (a.ka. 21w and Pablo).

JMA warnings for mainland Japan have been downgraded to advisories for high waves and gale winds.

0830hrs JST

The gap between the predicted paths of tropical storms Twenty-one and Higos widens even further in the latest Google Earth (1800z 30Sep08)) imagery as Jangmi and Mekkhala all but fizzle out.

Although no other agency has officially declared two seperate systems, in the latest NOAA avn (2230z 30Sep08) several different disturbances near the Philippines are more clearly visible.

Parts of mainland Japan are still under heavy rainfall, high wave, and flood advisories. In the Philippines

Residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes are advised to take precautions against possible flashfloods and landslides while those living in coastal areas under signal No. 2 are alerted against big waves and storm surges source: inquirer.net

0130hrsJST 1 October 2008

The latest in Google Earth imagery shows that at 2100hrs JST (1200hrsUTC) the projected paths between tropical storms Twenty-one and Higos (a.k.a. 21w and Pablo) as widening. Parts of mainland Japan are still under heavy rain, high wave, and flood advisories.

1900hrsJST

Fourth system?

Further review of the current information available led to the discovery on Google Earth imagery of a fourth system in the extremely active West Pacific tropical cyclone season this week. Leading to further confusion is the naming of the systems. According to GE 0600z imagery, the fourth system (Twenty-one) has a totally separate path from Tropical Storm 21w (a.k.a. Higos and Pablo).

1700hrs JST 30 September 2008

On the main island of the Ryukyu Archipelago, Okinawa, wind gusts howl and residents await for the brunt of Tropical Storm Jangmi as the system skirts the otherwise relatively dry landmass. Weather advisories for thunderstorms and extreme rainfall (via JMA) have been issued for various parts of Japan.

In less than one day, Jangmi became only one of the players in the West Pacific tropical cyclone stage. Two more players popped on the scene within the past 24hrs. The second system Mekkhala threatens Vietnam and the latest cyclone Higos (a..k.a Pablo) snuck up on the Philippines.

Here are some satellite images (via NOAA) of the triple West Pacific threat:

Jangmi - for more in depth information on this system please see this report filed by NP member Heritage

Mekkhala

Higos (a.k.a. Pablo) - for further information on this system please see this report filed by NP member jayr-patron

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Paschen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 00:38 on September 30th, 2008

JAWnOn, Good Reporting, thank you for bringing this out so fast.

JAWnOn

at 00:46 on September 30th, 2008

Thanks Peschen, having a bit of a prob with the image uploads. Hope to have it fixed momentarily Sorry about the triple, no pun intended, upload. I was having problems with it.

Heritage

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 02:36 on September 30th, 2008

JAWnOn, I like this story. It's good stuff.

A very busy typhoon season!

I think Higos will strike Taiwan. Another weekend inside!

JAWnOn

at 02:44 on September 30th, 2008

Thanks Heritage,

I am having such trouble with the upload and edit parts of the system today. Lost two versions of the update and couldn't get the images to edit, but perseverance prevailed.

If you look at the 0600z Google Earth image, it looks like Higos and Twenty-one cross on top of the PI.

We still only have scattered rainfall on Okinawa from Jangmi. Worst is supposed to be later tonight.

Take care.

Paschen

at 07:03 on September 30th, 2008

Good updates JAWnOnm thank you.

Rachel Nixon

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 07:19 on September 30th, 2008

JAWnOn, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Amy Judd

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 07:39 on September 30th, 2008

JAWnOn, I like this story. It's good stuff.

good job on this

JAWnOn

at 08:06 on September 30th, 2008

Thank you all... We didn't get the rainfall expected and after looking at the JMA 0045 stat update, I doubt anything much more will happen on island from Jangmi.

Rachel Nixon

at 20:57 on September 30th, 2008

Thanks for continuing to watch the systems!

JAWnOn

at 23:40 on September 30th, 2008

You're welcome.. still a bit curious why Twenty-one is showing on Google Earth but not even considered a depression by any of the agencies. The rest of the systems seem to be fading out.