Typhoon Haima (Lawin) Targets Southeast China After Hammering the Northern Philippines

Jon Erdman
Published: October 20,2016
Typhoon Haima, is now headed for its final landfall in southeast China after bringing damaging winds, flooding rainfall and storm surge flooding to the northern Philippines.
(MORE: Haima/Lawin Turns Deadly in the Philippines | Hurricane Central)
Haima made landfall in the northern Philippines as a Category 4 equivalent storm, with estimated winds of 140 mph, making it the second typhoon of that intensity to strike the area in just a few days time.
Some lingering rainbands are expected on the eastern flank of Haima, known as "Lawin" in the Philippines, through Friday night in the northern Philippines. Scroll below for a full recap on the weather impacts in the Philippines.
Fortunately, Haima is passing well south of Taiwan, but some outer rainbands are still bringing squally weather along with high surf and possibly a tropical storm-force wind gust or two to the southern coast of Taiwan.

Current Storm Information, Infrared Satellite Image

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.
Haima is now rounding the base of the upper-level high and is curling toward its final landfall in southeast China Friday, local time.
At the time of landfall Friday afternoon, local time, the center of Haima is expected to be east of Hong Kong, so also should be the strongest winds of the eastern eyewall although not by much. Any westward wobbles would bring higher winds to Hong Kong.
(INTERACTIVE: Wundermap Forecast Path)

Forecast Rainfall: Haima/Liwan

We can't rule out a swipe by the western eyewall over Hong Kong, potentially producing some downed trees, limbs and power outages.
(MORE: Countries Most Hit By Tropical Cyclones)
Beyond that, Haima will continue to curl inland to the north and weaken into Saturday.
As with most all tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall may trigger flash flooding. Parts of southeast China may pick up a foot of rain or more, locally.

Rainfall Forecast

Storm Recap

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)
After topping out at Category 5 intensity late Tuesday-early Wednesday, Haima weakened a bit just before making landfall on northern Luzon Island.
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.
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.
Baguio City, home to about 350,000 residents, picked up over 14 inches (361 millimeters) of rain Thursday alone. Tuguegarao City had picked up a storm total of 9.65 inches (245 millimeters) of rain through Thursday.
Wind data is somewhat sparse over the far northern Philippines. Laoag reported a peak gust to 55 mph Thursday. Undoubtedly, much stronger winds occurred near the landfall point in northeast Luzon.
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.

Check back with us at weather.com for the latest on this typhoon threat.

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