Tropical Storm Soudelor is heading towards Taiwan from the western Pacific Ocean. It could become the strongest super typhoon of 2015.
Super Typhoon Soudelor Approaches East Asia from Space
Australia’s SMH reported that Typhoon Soudelor has reached Category 5, the highest on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. Wind speeds near the eye of the storm were maintained at 150 knots, equivalent to 277.8 km/h on August 4, NASA reported. (Photo NASA)
The U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) stated that maximum wind speeds near the center of the storm could reach 160 to 195 knots, equivalent to 361 km/h. “This is not the strongest wind of a storm, but Soudelor is extremely intense,” noted a professor from the University of Melbourne, Australia. (Photo NASA)
Satellite images show that some areas have rainfall of up to 58 mm per hour. Warm sea temperatures have caused Soudelor to rapidly intensify within 36 hours, transforming it from a minor storm into a super typhoon. (Photo NASA)
JTWC reported that Soudelor is the strongest tropical storm of 2015. The maximum wind speeds near the center of Typhoon Pam, the strongest storm in the first half of 2015, only reached 165 knots. (Photo NOAA)
Forecasts indicate that Soudelor will head straight towards East Asia and reach the southwestern Ryukyu Islands of Japan by August 7. Okinawa, where the U.S. has air force bases, lies on the fringe of the storm’s influence, but meteorologists are still uncertain about its actual path. (Photo TheWeather)
Taiwan and several other areas in China may be impacted by Typhoon Soudelor this weekend. Although the storm may weaken as it moves over the ocean, its intensity and destructive power remain significant. The eye of the storm could sweep through Taipei. (Photo TheWeather)
According to SMH, the frequent occurrence of super typhoons is often linked to the El Niño phenomenon in the central and eastern Pacific. El Niño refers to the warming of sea surface temperatures. It contributes to stronger storms, along with heavy rainfall and flooding in the region and globally. (Photo TheWeather)
