The super typhoon ‘YAGI’ in the South China Sea is centred around 19.4°N and 112°E. It has reached a stone’s throw distance from Hainan, the southernmost province of China. The typhoon is at a distance of about 650km from Hanoi ( Vietnam), the next stop after Hainan. Presently, the storm is approaching the Island of Hainan on a west-northwest track.
The satellite imagery depicts a well-organized cloud configuration, with symmetrical radial outflow. The power of the storm is manifested by a clearly visible round ‘eye’ surrounded by a dense overcast cloud mass. After making its second landfall over Hainan, the storm will enter the Gulf of Tonkin. It may weaken slightly, when passes over Hainan, due to land interaction. The process of further weakening may halt over the Gulf of Tonkin and get offset by an increase in heat potential over the ocean surface.
One of this year’s most powerful storms is barreling towards Southern China and is expected to make landfall, anytime, in the popular tourist island of Hainan. Trains, boats and flights have been suspended for the second day in the province. Typhoon Yagi has doubled its strength after wreaking havoc in the Northern Philippines, early this week. The typhoon is currently packed with winds in excess of 250 km/h and has the potential to inflict catastrophic damage.
After crossing the Gulf of Tonkin, the typhoon Yagi will make third landfall over North Vietnam, late on Saturday, albeit in a weakened state. The frictional effects of the mountainous terrain and the entrainment will rapidly degrade the storm, while it moves across Vietnam and Laos. The remnants of the storm will keep travelling westward and cross over Myanmar covering the entire stretch in about 48 hours, or so.
Finally, the leftover of storm Yagi will enter the North Bay of Bengal, as a compact cyclonic circulation. It will merge with the pre-existing low-pressure area over the same region, on 10th-11thSeptember. The unification will accentuate the monsoon activity across Northeast India, eastern states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Bangladesh.
Image Courtesy: The Seattle Times