Typhoon Haima (Lawin) Moves Back Over Water After Hammering the Northern Philippines

Jon Erdman
Published: October 19,2016
Typhoon Haima has now moved back over water into the South China Sea but continues to bring strong winds, flooding rainfall and storm surge flooding to the northern Philippines. Haima will make a second landfall in southeast China east of Hong Kong on Friday.
Haima made landfall in the northern Philippines as a Category 4, making it the second typhoon of that intensity to strike the area in just a few days time.
PAGASA - the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration - said that the center of Haima, known as "Lawin" in the Philippines, came ashore around 11:00 p.m. local time Wednesday near Baguio Point in the Cagayan Province. Maximum sustained winds were 140 mph at that time, according to an advisory issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
After topping out at Category 5 intensity late Tuesday-early Wednesday, Haima weakened some just before making landfall on northern Luzon Island. It remains a powerful and destructive typhoon, however.
(MORE: Hurricane Central)

Current Storm Information, Infrared Satellite Image

Heavy rain and strong, damaging winds will continue to hammer northern Luzon through Thursday. Coastal areas will see battering waves and storm surge flooding, as well.
Reports from James Reynolds in Tuguegarao City show that the area was being lashed by strong winds and heavy rain just after midnight Thursday, local time.

Debris was flying through the streets of Tuguegarao City, according to storm chaser Josh Morgerman.

(INTERACTIVE: Wundermap Forecast Path)

Current Winds, Gusts

PAGASA says a storm surge of up to 10 feet is possible along more surge-prone bays of northeast Luzon.
Along with the dangers of storm surge flooding and damaging winds, rainfall flooding and landslides are also major threats in Luzon. This threat is enhanced given the saturated ground from Typhoon Sarika/Karen which made landfall there Sunday, and the considerable mountainous terrain of northern Luzon.
More than a foot of rain is likely to fall over northern portions of Luzon as Haima moves through.

Rainfall Forecast

Haima's Next Landfall: China

Haima will mostly likely pass south of Taiwan Thursday, though we cannot rule out some outer fringes of the typhoon still bringing squally weather along with high surf and possibly tropical storm-force winds.
Taiwan is typhoon-weary, having absorbed three strikes from Nepartak in July, Meranti in mid-September and Megi in late September, not to mention a glancing swipe from another September typhoon, Malakas.
(FORECAST: Manila | Taipei)

Forecast Rainfall: Haima/Liwan

Beyond that, Haima will likely round the base of the upper-level high and curl toward landfall in southeast China Friday as a weaker typhoon.
Interests in Hong Kong should monitor the progress of Haima closely, as it is still too soon to determine if they will experience Haima's eyewall Friday.
(MORE: Countries Most Hit By Tropical Cyclones)
Haima/Lawin was the first Category 4 or stronger typhoon to landfall in far northeast Luzon in just over five years, since Nalgae did so in September 2011.
Sadly, there have been almost two dozen other typhoons as strong to landfall in northeast Luzon since 1950.

Storm Recap, So Far

Microwave (85 GHz) satellite image of Super Typhoon Haima on October 18, 2016 at 8 a.m. EDT. The eyewall is shown as a dark red doughnut at center of circulation.
(U.S. Naval Research Lab)

Haima was born as a tropical depression south of Guam early on October 15 (local time) and became a typhoon just northeast of the Yap Islands the following morning.
Maximum sustained winds in Haima increased from 85 mph late Sunday morning to 160 mph by Tuesday morning (U.S. time), which means the typhoon has undergone rapid intensification. Rapid intensification is when maximum sustained winds increase by at least 30 knots (about 35 mph) in 24 hours or less.
(IMAGES: Stunning Imagery of Super Typhoon Haima)
The outflow of winds aloft exhausting the top of Haima, low wind shear and warm, deep ocean water set the stage for Haima's rapid intensification.
(MORE: Typhoon Alley...Where the Most Intense Tropical Cyclones Most Frequently Happen)
Check back with us at weather.com for the latest on this typhoon threat.

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