Typhoon Chan-hom Bears Down on Shanghai, China After Hammering Okinawa (FORECAST)

Jon Erdman
Published: July 10,2015

Typhoon Chan-hom will make a direct hit on eastern China during the next 24 hours, including the city of Shanghai.
(BLOG: One of Shanghai's Strongest Typhoons on Record?)
As of the advisory issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center at 10 a.m. local time Saturday (10 p.m. EDT Friday in the U.S.), Chan-hom's center was about 250 miles south-southeast of Shanghai, China, moving northwest at 10 mph.
Top sustained winds were estimated to be 105 mph, making Chan-hom a Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Typhoon-force winds (74 mph or greater) began to reach the coast of China in the Zhejiang Province Saturday morning, local time. An observation station well south of Shanghai at Shipu reported sustained winds of 74 mph and a gust to 110 mph. Shanghai (Pudong International Airport) has seen wind gusts up to 51 mph as of Saturday morning.
Heavy rainfall and gusty winds have also affected Taiwan. More than 16 inches of rain has fallen at one observation station in Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County, in the two days ending Saturday morning, local time.

Enhanced Satellite, Winds: Chan-hom

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) raised a "red warning of typhoon" Friday morning for Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. On its present course, Chan-hom will impact the Zhejiang province near Hangzhou Bay Saturday.
Zhejiang's Civil Affairs Bureau said nearly 60,000 people were evacuated from coastal areas. The country's railway service said more than 100 trains between the region's cities are canceled through Sunday.
(MORE: Latest News/Impacts)

Chan-hom Forecast Path

Chan-hom is on a weakening trend as it makes its closest approach to eastern China, but its large wind field -- typhoon/hurricane-force winds extend up to 65 miles from the center -- and its current and recent intensity mean it could still generate a dangerous, life-threatening storm surge along the East China Sea coast, particularly along and north of where the center passes.
Before the center of Chan-hom arrives, strong onshore winds could push seawater westward into the bays and estuaries along the coast, including areas around Shanghai, potentially leading to significant coastal flooding.

China Warnings

As Weather Underground's Dr. Jeff Masters blogged, downtown Shanghai is protected by a flood wall, but may see its sternest test of that with Chan-hom.
(FORECAST: Shanghai)
In addition to the threat of storm surge, damaging winds will lead to widespread power outages, downed trees, and some structural damage to buildings, particularly near the coast in the eyewall.
Torrential rainfall will also trigger widespread flash flooding, particularly in flood-prone, urban areas.
The CMA also raised an "orange warning of rainstorm" for Zhejiang, Shanghai, southern Jiangsu, southeastern Anhui, northeast Fujian and Taiwan where up to 400 millimeters of rain (roughly 15.75 inches) was expected with Chan-hou.
After departing eastern China Sunday, Chan-hom will be pulled northeastward into the Yellow Sea, weakening to a tropical storm before tracking into the Korean peninsula Monday.

Okinawa Impact

Okinawa Island was battered by the first spiral band outside of the typhoon's immediate core much of Thursday night. The Japan Meteorological Agency's observation site at Itokazu, near the southern end of Okinawa Island, clocked a peak gust of 111.6 mph at 1:05 a.m. Japanese time Friday. Minutes later it reported a sustained wind of 33.0 meters per second (73.8 mph), right at the minimum threshold for a typhoon.
Kadena Air Base on Okinawa clocked tropical storm-force sustained winds up to 59 mph Thursday afternoon into Thursday night. A peak gust of 78 mph occurred there around 3:20 a.m. Friday Japanese time.
Kitahara - an island located well west of Kadena Air Base - has had a peak wind gust of 95.5 mph as of Friday morning, local time.
(FORECAST: Kadena Air Base)
At least 18 people have been injured by Chan-hom in Okinawa, according to local newspaper ryukyushimpo.jp. In addition, 30,800 customers have lost power in the Okinawa Power territory.
Last Sunday, Chan-hom soaked Guam with up to 16 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, reported a peak wind gust to 62 mph Sunday afternoon. Guam International Airport just east of Hagatna, Guam, clocked a peak gust to 43 mph, while Rota Island measured a peak gust to 37 mph.
Meteorologist Chris Dolce and senior meteorologist Nick Wiltgen contributed to this report.

MORE: Super Typhoon Maysak Images (March-April 2015)