Typhoon Haima (2016)

Typhoon Haima (Lawin)

Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 5 (Saffir–Simpson scale)
Typhoon Haima approaching the Philippines at peak intensity on October 18
Formed	October 14, 2016
Dissipated	October 26, 2016
(Extratropical after October 22)
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 215 km/h (130 mph) 1-minute sustained: 270 km/h (165 mph)
Lowest pressure	900 hPa (mbar); 26.58 inHg
Fatalities	19 confirmed
Damage	$1.93 billion (2016 USD)
Areas affected	Caroline Islands, Philippines, Taiwan, China (including South, Hong Kong and East), Japan
Part of the 2016 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Haima, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Lawin, was the second most intense tropical cyclone of the North Pacific Ocean in 2016. It is the twenty-second named storm and the eleventh typhoon of the annual typhoon season.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the track and intensity of the storm according to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale

A tropical disturbance began to persist southwest of Chuuk on October 12, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert to the system one day later, for the rapidly consolidating low-level circulation center (LLCC).^[1][2] On October 14, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that the low-pressure area had developed into a tropical depression at 00:00 UTC, about 740 km (460 mi) southeast of Ulithi.^[3] When the JTWC also upgraded the system to a tropical depression late on the same day, a point-source anticyclone was providing radial outflow and low vertical wind shear.^[4] Early on October 15, for its LLCC being obscured by deepening central convection, the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm and named it Haima, and then the JTWC also upgraded it to a tropical storm.^[5][6]

Immediately after the JMA indicated that Haima had intensified into a severe tropical storm at 00:00 UTC on October 16, the JTWC upgraded it to a typhoon because of improving banding;^[7][8] six hours later, the JMA also upgraded Haima to a typhoon, approximately 140 km (85 mi) northeast of Yap.^[9] Tracking west-northwestward along a subtropical ridge to the north, Haima began to form an eye.^[10] The typhoon entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility early on October 17 and received the name Lawin from PAGASA, shortly before it deepened further with a sharply-outlined eye.^[11][12] Later, an eyewall replacement cycle occurred, as microwave satellite imagery revealed a solid inner ring of deep convection with a secondary outer ring.^[13]

Haima completed the eyewall replacement cycle by the morning on October 18. At this time, the JTWC upgraded it to a super typhoon.^[14] Several hours later, Haima presented a highly symmetric and tightly-wound spiral structure with a 55 km (35 mi)-wide eye. There was a prominent anticyclone feature to the north blocking the usual poleward outflow channel, but given the impressive appearance, the restriction to flow was apparently having limited impact.^[15] Located in an area of warm sea surface temperatures near 30 ºC, Haima reached peak intensity at around 18:00 UTC, with the central pressure at 900 hPa (26.58 inHg) and ten-minute maximum sustained winds at 215 km/h (130 mph).^[16] That intensity made Haima the second most intense tropical cyclone of the Northwest Pacific Ocean in 2016, after Typhoon Meranti.^[17] Simultaneously, the JTWC estimated one-minute maximum sustained winds at 270 km/h (165 mph), equivalent to Category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson scale.^[15] As Haima continued approaching and interacting with Luzon on October 19, the core convection became elongated with another eyewall replacement cycle, leading to a weakening trend and a cloud-filled eye.^[18] The JTWC downgraded Haima to a Category 4-equivalent typhoon with 1-minute sustained winds of 220 km/h (140 mph). Subsequently, the system made landfall over Peñablanca, Cagayan of the Philippines at 23:00 PST (15:00 UTC).^[19]

When Haima entered the South China Sea shortly before 08:00 PST (00:00 UTC) on October 20, the typhoon had weakened significantly but become larger.^[20] Although Haima kept deteriorating gradually over decreasing ocean heat content, the system soon regained a ragged 150 km (90 mi)-wide eye. Environmental conditions at this time included increasing vertical wind shear slightly offset by good dual outflow channels.^[21] Turning north-northwestward along the periphery of a subtropical ridge positioned to the north and east, Haima made landfall over Haifeng County, Shanwei in the Guangdong province of China at 12:40 CST (04:40 UTC) on October 21.^[22][23] Several hours later, Haima weakened into a severe tropical storm owing to the rugged terrain, and the JTWC issued its final warning on the system.^[24][25] The system further weakened into a tropical storm at 12:00 UTC and ultimately a tropical depression in the Jiangxi province at 18:00 UTC.^[26][27]

At around 08:00 CST (00:00 UTC) on October 22, Haima became extratropical and accelerated northeastward.^[28] Emerging into Hangzhou Bay right before 20:00 CST (12:00 UTC), the low then entered the East China Sea and turned eastward.^[29][30] The system developed into a gale-force low near the Tokara Islands early on October 23.^[31] Tracking eastward south of Japan, the system weakened into a low below gale-force about 420 km (260 mi) east of Chichijima, at around 09:00 JST (00:00 UTC) on October 25.^[32] It then wandered around the area and dissipated early on October 26.^[33]

Impact

Philippines

Typhoon Haima over the South China Sea on October 20, after crossing Luzon

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Typhoon Haima (Lawin) killed 14 people, and damages had reached up to ₱3.73 billion (US$76.9 million) as of October 25.^[34] Though some recent reports have already counted the death toll up to 18 with agriculture damages up to ₱6.9 billion (US$143.3 million).^[35][36]

China

Typhoon Haima caused all schools and many businesses in the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan and many others in the south of China to close for the day. Multiple warnings were sent out via different media outlets in order to warn people in advance.

In Guandong, it has been reported that agricultural and economical damages have topped up to ¥3.49 billion (US$517 million).^[37] Over in Hainan province though, about 3,400 houses were destroyed with 189,600 hectares of crops destroyed. Losses were amounted to ¥4.18 billion (US$617 million). Moreover, the extratropical remnants of Haima affects East China's Fujian province, with 200 hectares of crop damaged and a possible total loss of ¥37 million (US$5.49 million).^[38]

Hong Kong

The approach of Haima prompted the Hong Kong Observatory to issue the No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal; schools and businesses were suspended and roads and pavements empty as Haima passed as close as 110 kilometres east-northeast of the city in the early afternoon of 21 October. “As the western part of Haima’s eye wall is rather close to Hong Kong, gales will affect the territory for some time,” said the observatory, warning the public to steer clear of the waterfront due to rough seas. However, many residents ignored the warning and watched the storm. Haima brought heavy rainfall and gusts of up to 105 kilometres per hour, as waves crashed over and flooded coastal roads and trees were knocked down by winds. Over 700 flights in and out of Hong Kong were cancelled, trading on the city's stock exchange was stopped on 21 October, and ferry services such as Hong Kong’s famous cross-harbour Star Ferry were cancelled. All bus services were halted and underground metro trains were slowed. More than 20 shelters were set up by the government in preparation for the storm.^[39] One person was confirmed dead and damages have totalled to HK$5 billion (US$644.5 million).^[40]

Macau

The approach of Haima led to the Macau Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau issuing the No. 8 tropical cyclone signal at 08:30 local time for the first time in 2016. However, winds at Macau were much lighter than neighbouring Hong Kong, as the intense rainbands associated with Haima just missed the territory. The No. 3 signal was eventually issued to replace the No. 8 signal at 15:30. The SMG later explained that as Haima took on a more eastward track during the day on 21 October, the intense rainbands and associated gales that were forecast to affect Macau eventually did not impact the territory directly.

Retirement

On October 26, PAGASA has announced that the name Lawin will be removed from their naming lists because it had caused over ₱1 billion in damages.^[41]

See also

• Typhoon Zeb
• Typhoon Babs (1998)
• Typhoon Megi (2010)
• Typhoon Usagi (2013)
• Typhoon Meranti (2016)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Typhoon Haima (2016).

• JMA General Information of Typhoon Haima (1622) from Digital Typhoon
• JMA Best Track Data of Typhoon Haima (1622) (Japanese)
• 25W.HAIMA from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

Tropical cyclones of the 2016 Pacific typhoon season
	TD 01W TD TD TD Ambo TY Nepartak TD 03W TS Lupit STS Mirinae TD TD TD TD STS Nida STS Omais TD TD TS Conson TD TD STS Chanthu TD TD TS Dianmu TD TD TY Mindulle TY Lionrock TD TD TS Kompasu TD 14W TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TY Namtheun TS Malou TY Meranti TD 17W TS Rai TY Malakas TY Megi TY Chaba TY Songda STS Aere TY Sarika TY Haima TD TD TY Meari TD TD TD TD TS Ma-on TD 28W TS Tokage TD TD
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