Typhoon Fitow to Impact China and Taiwan; Danas to Follow

By Eric Leister, Meteorologist

October 5,2013; 3:28AM,EDT

 

 

Fitow remains a dangerous typhoon as it approaches the southern Ryukyu Islands, followed by a landfall in eastern China.
Fitow is expected to maintain typhoon status during this time, resulting in torrential rainfall and damaging winds for parts of the Ryukyu Islands.
The worst of the typhoon's fury is currently aimed south of the island of Okinawa, home to the city of Naha and Kadena Air Force Base, but dangerous conditions are still expected for the area and surrounding islands.
Fitow will continue to strengthen slowly during the next day or two as it passes through the Ryukyu Islands. Maximum sustained winds within Fitow should peak at around 160 to 175 kph (100 to 110 mph, equal to that of a Category 2 hurricane) Saturday and Saturday night.

An increase in wind shear and land interaction will likely cause Fitow to weaken some as it approaches the China coastline; however, it will remain a dangerous tropical system.
While mainland Japan escapes Fitow's most adverse impacts, a band of locally heavy rain will still spread across southern areas through Saturday night.
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Fitow's expected track will then bring the threat of heavy rainfall to northern Taiwan, including Taipei, Saturday and Sunday as the storm passes just north of the island. Strong northeast to northwest winds will cause moisture to build up along the islands rugged terrain, leading to the threat of flooding and mudslides.

This satellite image of Fitow, courtesy of UW-CIMSS, was taken Friday evening, local time.
Fitow should be a minimal typhoon (Category 1 hurricane strength) or strong tropical storm as it approaches East China late Sunday into Monday.
Landfall is expected in Zhejiang Province, but heavy rainfall is also expected from Fujian Province northward through Shanghai. These areas can expect 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) of rainfall with locally up to 300 mm (12 inches). Damaging winds around 95-120 kph (60-75 mph) will be possible along and near the coast.
The Korean Peninsula will face a double threat early next week. First, the moisture from Typhoon Fitow will be pulled northward across the region by a trough to the north. Secondly, Typhoon Danas currently moving toward the Ryukyu Islands will be pulled across the Korean by the same trough.
The combination of moisture from both of these typhoons will result in a deluge of rainfall for parts of the Korean Peninsula, leading to the threat for life-threatening flooding and mudslides.