Typhoon No. 3 (Yagi) Sets Unprecedented Records in the History of Meteorology in Vietnam

Super Typhoon Yagi is the fastest intensifying storm ever recorded in the history of meteorology in Vietnam.

The storm is expected to make landfall around 4 PM on September 7

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, as of 7 PM on September 5, Super Typhoon Yagi (Typhoon No. 3) was located about 365 km east of Hainan Island (China). The storm’s intensity remains at Level 16, classified as a super typhoon (184-201 km/h), with gusts exceeding Level 17.

Forecasts indicate that in the next 3 hours, the storm will move west-northwest at a speed of approximately 10-15 km/h.

By 4 PM on September 6, the center of Super Typhoon Yagi will be over the northeastern waters of Hainan Island (China), approximately 450 km southeast of Quang Ninh, maintaining an intensity of Level 16, with gusts above Level 17, moving at 15 km/h towards the west-northwest.

By 4 PM on September 7, the center of Super Typhoon Yagi will be on land from Quang Ninh to Nam Dinh, with an intensity of Level 10-11, gusts at Level 14, moving at 20 km/h towards the west-northwest, gradually weakening.

The next day, the center of Typhoon Yagi will be over the northwest region of Northern Vietnam. The storm will weaken to Level 6, moving at about 20 km/h towards the west-northwest and gradually dissipating into a low-pressure area.

Satellite image at 8 PM on September 5. (Photo: NCHMF).

Typhoon Yagi Sets Multiple Records

According to meteorological authorities, Super Typhoon Yagi has set multiple records with notable milestones such as:

This is the strongest typhoon of 2024 in the Northwest Pacific region (as of now).
It is the fastest intensifying storm ever recorded in the history of meteorology in Vietnam (48 hours).
This is the third time in history that a Level 4 (Red) natural disaster risk level has been issued, and for the first time in history, Level 4 has been applied in the Gulf of Tonkin.
One of the top 3 super typhoons to reach Level 16 or higher while operating over the East Sea.
The atmospheric pressure at the storm’s center has dropped to the lowest level in over half a century in the history of storm observation in Vietnam.

It is evident that as of now, Typhoon Yagi has reached the strongest state of a tropical storm, with extremely favorable environmental conditions supporting its development.

Currently, the storm will continue to move towards the Gulf of Tonkin with little change in intensity. However, after passing Hainan Island, the storm’s intensity is expected to significantly weaken from Level 15-16 with gusts of Level 18-19 down to Level 13-14 with gusts of Level 16. The storm will continue to weaken as it moves further into the Gulf of Tonkin and heads towards the provinces from Quang Ninh to Nam Dinh.