Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

RootBeerMan

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 3, 2016
1,478
5,274
While we were busy watching hurricane Florence here in the states, folks in the Pacific were getting pounded by Super Typhoon Mangkhut. It's about to hit the Philippines and, given the state of the islands on any given day, I expect the damage to be devastating with a large loss of lives. This monster storm has wind gusts up to 200 MPH. I really feel for the people there, right now. They are in for a truly rough time.

https://earther.gizmodo.com/super-typhoon-mangkhut-is-the-strongest-storm-on-earth-1829056710

While the world watches Florence make a historic landfall in the Carolinas, there’s another storm on the other side of the planet worthy of our attention. Super Typhoon Mangkhut is the biggest, baddest storm on the planet, and it’s bearing down on the Philippines’ most populous island.

After ripping apart houses in Guam like tin cans, Mangkhut—known as Ompong in the Philippines, which uses a different typhoon naming system—has continued its westward march across the Pacific. The storm is packing wind gusts up to 200 mph, taking the title from Super Typhoon Jebi for the strongest cyclone to grace our fair planet this year. Tropical storm-force winds radiate roughly 300 miles out from its center.

The forecast indicates that the storm will likely make landfall overnight or early Saturday morning in the northeast corner of Luzon, an island that’s home to 43 million. The huge wind field means that even Manila, located 250 miles south, could still feel the impacts of Mangkhut.

But those in the direct vicinity of Mangkhut’s landfall will have to contend with much more than that. The storm could produce nearly 20 feet of storm surge according to the Red Cross, creating deadly conditions along the coast. The Philippines meteorological service warned that all evacuations should already have taken place and that the “situation is potentially very destructive.” The group notes that trees could be uprooted, coconut plantations could be destroyed, and that the electrical system and homes and commercial buildings are likely to see “severe” damage.

Mangkhut has drawn comparisons to Super Typhoon Haiyan, which is a really ominous sign. That storm tore through the Philippines in 2013, leaving 6,000 dead and obliterating entire communities. Mangkhut, however, isn’t quite as strong and is forecast to take a more northerly path through the island nation, passing over a less densely populated region.

While there hasn’t been any work to attribute Mangkhut specifically to climate change, the warmer oceans and higher seas that are both hallmarks of our warming world are clear links. Mangkhut is passing over waters that are up to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) above normal, providing the fuel it needs to stay strong. The Philippines is also a sea level rise hot spot, with waters rising five times faster than the global average.

The Philippines is also a hot spot for typhoons owing to its tropical location. The nation has been hit by more tropical cyclones than any other country save China since 1970.

Video at the link
 
This is shaping up to be one hell of a season.

It's unusual for there have been so many storms active in the Atlantic at once. I noticed on Thursday morning that forecasts said Helene was "heading for Ireland" meaning generally no longer serving up potential threats to stuff in the western Atlantic. However, late that night I saw it had actually headed northwest a bit, looking like it wanted to snuggle up next to Hurricane Joyce out there instead.

So weird. The shipping dudes must be tearing their hair out over forecasts that start to vary just because of spinoff from potentially "adjacent" storms. The Atlantic's a big place but weather anywhere in it, as hurricane season ramps up, has far reaching consequence.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huntn and kazmac
So weird. The shipping dudes must be tearing their hair out over forecasts that start to vary just because of spinoff from potentially "adjacent" storms. The Atlantic's a big place but weather anywhere in it, as hurricane season ramps up, has far reaching consequence.

I wouldn't want to work for UPS or FedEx about now, that's for sure.

In years where we get the bad storms, they come in bunches. The year Katrina hit, that was our third hurricane where we'd opened shelters. They came weekly. It's why we had so many problems, too. By the time Katrina came, nobody wanted to evacuate again. And they paid for it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kazmac and LizKat
It's unusual for there have been so many storms active in the Atlantic at once. I noticed on Thursday morning that forecasts said Helene was "heading for Ireland" meaning generally no longer serving up potential threats to stuff in the western Atlantic. However, late that night I saw it had actually headed northwest a bit, looking like it wanted to snuggle up next to Hurricane Joyce out there instead.

So weird. The shipping dudes must be tearing their hair out over forecasts that start to vary just because of spinoff from potentially "adjacent" storms. The Atlantic's a big place but weather anywhere in it, as hurricane season ramps up, has far reaching consequence.

Yes, it was crazy to see 3 hurricanes and a tropical storm on the NOAA Nat’l Hurricane Center Atlantic tracking page at once. Helene and Joyce were still hanging around in each other’s orbit last I checked.

Hope everyone here who lives in Florence’s path is okay.

Scary about Mangkhut: sheesh, wind gusts of 200 mph?!?
 
  • Like
Reactions: LizKat
Hope everyone here who lives in Florence’s path is okay.

Scary about Mangkhut: sheesh, wind gusts of 200 mph?!?

The water damage from Florence is starting to sound horrendous. My heart goes out to the residents putting up with this and no way to know when the flooding will subside.

As for that typhoon Mangkhut, I can't even imagine the damage from 200kph winds. I have survived 80mph straight line winds for five minutes once, that was bad enough,,,, I lost a 60' cherry tree snapped off like it was matchwood and pitched over my stone wall... with a 2' diameter trunk on it. Apparently that typhoon is making landfall in the Philippines right in the heartland of crop growing areas so they're losing more than tree cover. Mother Nature is not all that nurturing sometimes.

EDIT: I had that as 200 miles per hour originally when I posted... when it was 200 kilometers per hour. Honestly when you get storm force winds even like my 80mph straight line winds, you have a hard time imagining 125mph never mind 200. Still when I realized my error I figured it was time to come back in here and fix this post!
 
Last edited:
I feel for the residents in the Carolinas myself. Having lived through several hurricanes including Sandy and Nor’Easters (which I dislike as much), we’ve been very lucky with ourselves and property despite once living across the street from a canal. I know recent storms have pushed into mainland and upstate NY too which always boggles my mind.

Hopefully not making light of this, I walked across my former college campus in 75mph wind gusts for my meteorology course midterm that was also five minutes of being pushed around in the direction I needed to go to get to class. Not fun. My professor was glad to see us, not even concerned about what was hurricane force winds in March.:rolleyes: But then, she was a tornado chaser.

Oy, 200 kilometers?!? :(
 
  • Like
Reactions: LizKat
I wouldn't want to work for UPS or FedEx about now, that's for sure.

In years where we get the bad storms, they come in bunches. The year Katrina hit, that was our third hurricane where we'd opened shelters. They came weekly. It's why we had so many problems, too. By the time Katrina came, nobody wanted to evacuate again. And they paid for it.
My impression is that shippers who use ships will be more adversely effected than aircraft based shipping.
 
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.