 Soudelor at peak intensity on August 4 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | July 29, 2015 |
| Dissipated | August 12, 2015 |
| Violent typhoon | |
| 10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
| Highest winds | 215 km/h (130 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 900hPa (mbar); 26.58 inHg |
| Category 5-equivalent super typhoon | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 285 km/h (180 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 907hPa (mbar); 26.78 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 59 total |
| Damage | $4.09 billion (2015USD) |
| Areas affected |
|
IBTrACS | |
Part of the2015 Pacific typhoon season | |
Typhoon Soudelor, known in thePhilippines asSuper Typhoon Hanna, was the third most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2015 afterHurricane Patricia andCyclone Pam as well as the strongesttropical cyclone of the2015 Pacific typhoon season. Soudelor had severe impacts in theNorthern Mariana Islands,Taiwan, andeastern China, resulting in 40 confirmed fatalities. Lesser effects were felt in Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. The thirteenthnamed storm of theannual typhoon season, Soudelor formed as atropical depression nearPohnpei on July 29. The system strengthened slowly at first before entering a period ofrapid intensification on August 2. Soudelor madelandfall onSaipan later that day, causing extensive damage. Owing to favorable environmental conditions, the typhoon further deepened and reached its peak intensity with ten-minutemaximum sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph) and a centralatmospheric pressure of 900hPa (mbar; 26.58 inHg) on August 3. TheJoint Typhoon Warning Center assessed one-minute sustained winds at 285 km/h (180 mph), making Soudelor aCategory 5-equivalentsuper typhoon. Steady weakening ensued thereafter as the storm moved generally west-northwest. Soudelor made landfall overHualien, Taiwan, late on August 7 and emerged over in theTaiwan Strait early the next day. The typhoon soon moved inland over eastern China and degraded to a tropical depression by August 9.
Soudelor was the second worst storm to strike Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands in nearly 30 years (followingTyphoon Yutu of 2018). Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed and power was expected to take a month to restore. Two people died in Guam due to rip currents. In Taiwan, torrential rains and destructive winds caused widespread damage and disruptions. A record-breaking 4.85 million households lost power on the island. At least 8 people died and 420 others sustained injury there; a ninth person died in the storm's aftermath. Portions of eastern China saw their heaviest rains in 100 years, resulting in deadly floods and landslides. Typhoon Soudelor killed 45 people in eastern China after parts of the country were hit by the heaviest rains in a century. Total economic losses were counted to be¥24.627 billion (US$3.97 billion).[1]
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionOn July 28, 2015, theJoint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)[nb 1] began monitoring a tropical disturbance about 415 km (258 mi) north ofKwajalein Atoll in theMarshall Islands. The system featured a developinglow level circulation accompanied by deepconvection.[3] Moving generally west under the influence of asubtropical ridge,[4] the disturbance gradually organized amid favorable environmental conditions. Atropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT) cell enhanced upper-leveloutflow, offsetting the negative effects of moderatewind shear; highsea surface temperatures andocean heat content provided ample energy for further development.[5] At 14:30 UTC on July 29, the JTWC issued aTropical Cyclone Formation Alert for the system.[6] Several hours later, theJapan Meteorological Agency (JMA)[nb 2] began monitoring the system as a weak tropical depression;[8] the agency began full advisories on the system at 00:00 UTC on July 30.[9] The JTWC followed suit later that day, designating the system asTropical Depression 13W.[10] The cyclone achieved tropical storm intensity by 12:00 UTC, at which time it wasassigned the nameSoudelor, atitle of legendary rulers in thePohnpeian language.[11][12][13] Acentral dense overcast developed over the circulation center shortly thereafter.[14]
Some structural degradation took place on July 31 owing tosubsidence from a TUTT cell to the north.[15][16] Following a retreat of the TUTT cell northward,[17] Soudelor's convective structure improved with well-definedbanding features wrapping into the circulation by August 1.[18] The organizing storm, with a redeveloped central dense overcast, soon entered a region favoringrapid intensification, including lowwind shear, sea surface temperatures of 31–32 °C (88–90 °F) and high ocean heat content.[19] Therefore, the JMA upgraded Soudelor to a severe tropical storm by 18:00 UTC.[20] Rapid intensification ensued on August 2 as the storm approached theNorthern Mariana Islands with both agencies classifying Soudelor as a typhoon.[21][22][23] The typhoon developed an unusually smalleye only 8 km (5.0 mi) in diameter, among the smallest ever observed in a tropical cyclone. At 14:54 UTC, Soudelor madelandfall along the southern coast ofSaipan.[21]
After undergoing aneyewall replacement cycle,[24] Soudelor continued rapid intensification, reaching peak intensity on August 3. The JMA estimated peak ten-minute maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h (134 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 900 hPa (27 inHg),[25] while the JTWC estimated peak one-minute maximum sustained winds of 285 km/h (177 mph), classifying Soudelor as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon. Intensity leveled off thereafter, and after maintaining Category 5 intensity for 24 hours, Soudelor was downgraded to a Category 4 super typhoon late on August 4.[26] On August 5, PAGASA reported that the Typhoon Soudelor entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility assigning the nameHanna.[27] Soudelor weakened further to a Category 2-equivalent typhoon and stayed at that intensity for a day. On August 7, the typhoon reintensified to reach a secondary peak as a Category 3-equivalent typhoon,[26] and later that day, Typhoon Soudelor made landfall overXiulin,Hualien in Taiwan at 20:40UTC on August 7 (04:40TST on August 8), and it arrived in theTaiwan Strait fromTaixi,Yunlin around 03:00 UTC (11:00 TST) on August 8.[28][29] Around 14:10 UTC (22:10CST) on the same day, Soudelor made landfall overXiuyu District,Putian, Fujian in China as a Category 1-equivalent typhoon.[30][31]Quickly degrading, Soudelor moved erratically northwest. 24 hours after landfall, Soudelor was downgraded to a depression, before becomingextratropical six hours later The remnants re-looped eastward, before briefly re-attaininggale-force winds as it moved offshore nearYancheng, Jiangsu. The remnants were last noted on August 13, affectingKyushu andChūgoku region.[citation needed]
Typhoon Soudelor passed directly over Saipan on August 2 as an intensifyingCategory 2 equivalent storm according to the JTWC,[32] causing widespread damage on the island.[33] Post-storm damage surveys determined Soudelor to have been substantially stronger at landfall: a Category 4-equivalent with sustained winds of 215 km/h (134 mph) with gusts in excess of 260 km/h (160 mph).[34][35] TheNational Weather Service'sanemometer atSaipan International Airport broke after recording a gust of 146 km/h (91 mph).[21] The winds downed numerous trees and power lines, leaving much of the island without power and rendering roads impassible.[36] In some areas, cars were flipped over by the force of the wind. The island's power plant lost part of its roof and was flooded.[37] Damage to the island's electrical infrastructure was tremendous, with 150 power poles and 114 transformers damaged or destroyed.[38] A total of 464 residents sought refuge in public shelters.[39] Acting Governor Ralph DLG Torres declared "a state of disaster and significant emergency". Philip Dauterman of the Commonwealth Health Center in Saipan likened damage to that caused byTyphoon Pongsona which struckGuam in December 2002.[37] In addition, John Hirsh from theAmerican Red Cross said that Soudelor is the most damaging cyclone to hit Saipan sinceTyphoon Kim in1986 struck the island nearly thirty years prior.[40]
Initial assessments by the Emergency Operations Center indicate that 384 homes were destroyed. A separate assessment by the American Red Cross showed 808 homes affected. Of this total, 158 were destroyed, 296 sustained major damage, and 354 were affected or sustained minor damage.[41] Total damage exceeded US$21 million (2015USD) on Saipan. Forty people were injured across the island.[34] On August 8 and 9, two people drowned in separaterip current incidents in western Guam.[42]
The local power company, Commonwealth Utilities Corp., stated they only had 77 replacement power poles and no transformers. Repairs to the electric grid, water supply network, and wastewater systems were expected to take three to four weeks.[38] ThreeMobil gas stations re-opened on August 4 for first responders and emergency services.[43] Relief supplies from Guam and Hawaii were sent to Saipan that day. Members of theGuam National Guard,Guam Power Authority, and theCoast Guard also provided assistance.[39] On August 6, United States PresidentBarack Obama declared the Northern Mariana Islands afederal disaster area, allowing residents to receive government aid. Saipan was granted individual assistance whileTinian andRota received public assistance.[44][45] By September, theFederal Emergency Management Agency approved US$25.9 million in aid to residents of Saipan.[46]
Prior to striking Taiwan, the circulation of Typhoon Soudelor battered Japan's southernRyukyu Islands with typhoon-force winds. Sustained winds onYonaguni island reached 163 km/h (101 mph) with concurrent gusts to 233 km/h (145 mph), the strongest winds recorded in relation to the storm throughout its path.Ishigaki Island saw a peak gust of 198 km/h (123 mph). Farther north atKadena Air Base onOkinawa Island, gusts reached 84 km/h (52 mph). Heavy rains accompanied these winds, with Yonaguni reporting 451 mm (17.74 in) during the storm's passage.[47] Structural impact was relatively minor, mainly confined to damaged roofs on Yonaguni island. Three people sustained minor injuries in the region.[48] Losses to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries across theYaeyama District reached¥360 million (US$2.9 million). A total of 6,748 hectares (16,670 acres) of crops sustained damage.[49] InMiyako-jima, crops sustained significant damage from salt; relatively little rain coupled with strong winds allowed sea spray to travel farther inland than normal. Preliminary estimates placed losses at ¥94.52 million (US$761,000).[50] On August 10, a family of four was swept out to sea nearIrabu-jima by residualswells from the typhoon; three drowned while the fourth, an 8-year-old girl, was rescued.[51]
On August 6, four people inSu'ao,Yilan were swept away while watching waves. One person, a child, survived; two others are confirmed dead, and the fourth is still missing.[52][53] By August 10, eight fatalities had been confirmed, while four others were reported missing. Additionally, 420 people sustained injuries.[54] All 279 domestic flights were canceled on August 8, as well as at least 37 international flights.[55]
The center of the storm made landfall in eastern Taiwan at 04:40 a.m. local time on August 8. By mid-morning, Soudelor had maximum sustained winds of 173 km/h (107 mph; 93 kn), according to Taiwan'sCentral Weather Bureau (CWB).[56] Northern and mountainous areas of Taiwan saw the strongest winds, withPengjia Islet reporting sustained winds of 150 km/h (93 mph) and a peak gust of 211 km/h (131 mph). A gust of 230 km/h (143 mph) was reported inSu'ao; however, this value was later retracted by the CWB due to possible accuracy concerns.Taoyuan International Airport inTaoyuan reported a gust of 150 km/h (93 mph).[47] These winds causedTaipei 101'stuned mass damper to sway a record 100 cm (39 in).[57]Taiping Mountain in eastern Taiwan'sYilan County saw the heaviest rains from the typhoon, with accumulations peaking at 1,334 mm (52.52 in).[47][56] Rainfall in theWulai District reached 722 mm (28.4 in) in 24 hours, the second-highest on record behindTyphoon Matsa in 2005. Twelve-hour accumulations amounted to a record 632 mm (24.9 in).[58]
At the height of the storm, 4.85 million households lost electricity.[54] This was the largest blackout on record in Taiwan due to a typhoon, surpassing the previous record of 2.79 million afterTyphoon Herb in1996.[59] Water supply to 429,248 homes and land line telephone service to 64,992 homes was cut during the storm.[54] A contaminatedNanshi River suffered a drastic overflow, and soon mixed with the primary water source of theTaipei-Keelung metropolitan area.[60] The river'sturbidity reached record levels in just two hours, catching Taipei's Water Department off-guard.[58] The excess water overwhelmed the regional purification system. As a result, the water supply to approximately 5 million households inTaipei was polluted for the next few days.[61] Agricultural damage in Taiwan exceededNT$3.03 billion (US$94.8 million). The banana crop suffered the greatest impact, with 5,436 hectares (13,430 acres) damaged; losses from the crop reached NT$460.15 million (US$14.3 million).[62] Sixwindmills ofTaipower were destroyed.[63]
Approximately 100 people were listed as missing after contact was lost withXiaoyi village (Siaoyi) inWulai District ofNew Taipei City during the storm on August 8. Reports from firefighters dispatched to search for residents reported that homes in the area had "disappeared" following a large landslide.[64][65] All residents were later accounted for on August 10.[66]
A soldier was crushed to death while trying to clear debris on August 13.[67]
Typhoon Soudelor killed 45 people ineastern China after parts of the country were hit by the heaviest rains in a century. Total economic losses were counted to be¥24.627 billion (US$3.97 billion).[1]
Making landfall inFujian around 10:10 p.m. local time on August 8, the storm brought damaging winds to coastal cities in the region. The storm is regarded as the most severe to strike Fujian Province in a decade. The strongest gust was 191 km/h (119 mph) inPutian while nearbyFuzhou saw gusts up to 134 km/h (83 mph).[47][68] Gusts in excess of typhoon force were almost entirely confined to Fujian.Gale-force winds extended intoJiangxi andZhejiang. Much of East China saw torrential rains from the storm, with accumulations of at least 100 mm (3.9 in) reported in several provinces. Portions of Zhejiang Province saw 24‑hour rainfall totals with areturn period of 100–120 years.[68]Wencheng County recorded 645 mm (25.4 in) during the same span – the heaviest in 100 years. Country-wide accumulations peaked at 806 mm (31.7 in) withinWenzhou. Soudelor's merger with a cold front overAnhui andJiangsu brought torrential rains to the region from August 9–10. The heaviest rains fell in central Jiangsu Province, peaking at 467 mm (18.4 in) along the central coastline.[68]
Typhoon Soudelor's proximity to the Philippines promptedPAGASA to issuePublic Storm Warning Signal#1, the lowest on a five-tier scale, forBatanes andCagayan provinces, including theCalayan islands, from August 6–8.[69][70][71] Signal #2 was raised for Batanes on August 7.[70] The storm's circulation enhanced thesouthwest monsoon and brought rains toLuzon and portions of theWestern Visayas. Overall impacts were minor, with 58,255 people affected; 45,444 of these people sought refuge in public shelters. Agricultural damage inBatanes were at₱363,000 (US$7,900).[72]
Hong Kong experienced its hottest day on August 8, since records began, as a result of air descending on the outer fringe of Soudelor. TheHong Kong Observatory observed a temperature of 36.3 °C (97.3 °F), breaking the previous record of 36.1 °C (97.0 °F) set in 1900 and 1990.[73] Air pollution was also severe on August 7 and 8 across the entire territory, with readings onTap Mun reachinglevel 10.[74]
The typhoon's remnants brought locally heavy rain to parts ofSouth Korea on August 11, with accumulations reaching 25 to 60 mm (0.98 to 2.4 in).[75]
Due to the destruction and deaths caused by the storm in the Northern Mariana Islands, Taiwan and China, the nameSoudelor was officially retired at the Fourth Joint Session of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee and WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones during 2016. In February 2017, they chose the nameSaudel to replaceSoudelor.[76]
Typhoon Soudelor made landfall at 10:10 p.m. local time Aug. 8, 2015 with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph in Xiuyu District, Putian City in Fujian Province in southeast China.
Tropical cyclones of the2015 Pacific typhoon season | ||
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