Severe Tropical Storm Bilis (0604) at WPAC

[P.K.]

Taiwan's radar can be found at http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V5/observe/radar/radar.htm.

[WindRunner]

Down to 55kts - funny thing is that this is the best he's ever looked.

RSMC TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY
NAME STS 0604 BILIS (0604)
ANALYSIS
PSTN 131200UTC 24.8N 122.5E FAIR
MOVE NNW 12KT
PRES 975HPA
MXWD 055KT
50KT 180NM SOUTHEAST 120NM NORTHWEST
30KT 400NM EAST 300NM WEST
FORECAST
24HF 141200UTC 26.5N 118.5E 80NM 70%
MOVE WNW 10KT
PRES 985HPA
MXWD 050KT
48HF 151200UTC 27.2N 114.8E 150NM 70% TROPICAL DEPRESSION =

[WindRunner]

Holding at 55kts per JMA - also interesting to note that by looking at the track map, it appears Bilis skirted Taiwan to the north. Also, the JTWC has finally come back and is also putting it at 55kts.


RSMC TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY
NAME STS 0604 BILIS (0604)
ANALYSIS
PSTN 131800UTC 25.5N 121.1E FAIR
MOVE WNW 14KT
PRES 975HPA
MXWD 055KT
50KT 180NM SOUTHEAST 120NM NORTHWEST
30KT 400NM EAST 300NM WEST
FORECAST
24HF 141800UTC 27.5N 117.0E 80NM 70%
MOVE WNW 10KT
PRES 985HPA
MXWD 040KT
48HF 151800UTC 28.0N 114.0E 150NM 70% TROPICAL DEPRESSION

[P.K.]

Landfall was as a 55kt severe tropical storm.

RSMC TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY
NAME STS 0604 BILIS (0604)
ANALYSIS
PSTN 141200UTC 26.7N 118.2E FAIR
MOVE WNW 11KT
PRES 985HPA
MXWD 050KT
30KT 400NM SOUTHEAST 270NM NORTHWEST
FORECAST
24HF 151200UTC 27.4N 114.9E 80NM 70% TROPICAL DEPRESSION

[P.K.]

RSMC TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY
NAME STS 0604 BILIS (0604)
ANALYSIS
PSTN 142100UTC 27.1N 116.4E POOR
MOVE WNW 11KT
PRES 990HPA
MXWD 050KT
30KT 400NM SOUTHEAST 270NM NORTHWEST
FORECAST
24HF 152100UTC 27.5N 112.8E 80NM 70% TROPICAL DEPRESSION

[WindRunner]

Ooooh, PK is now a pro-met? Way to go man!

[HURAKAN]

P.K.,

Congratulations, you always do great job here!!!

[WindRunner]

Well, Bilis is gone now. It finally disapated well into China.

[P.K.]

Thanks.

Right this now means the NW Pacific is still slightly behind the 1971-2000 average of 6.5 tropical storms up to the middle of July, but as we've seen recently it doesn't take long for the number of storms to climb rapidly.

[SkeetoBite]

<snip>Tropical storm floods leave 170 dead in China
Two million evacuated, dozens still missing and more rain expected...</snip>

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13905473/

[P.K.]

China storm death toll tops 500

The number of people killed in a storm that hit southern China last week has risen to more than 500 - more than double the original estimate.

Tropical Storm Bilis hit on 14 July, causing massive flooding and forcing three million people from their homes.

The government of Hunan province has accused local officials of deliberately playing down the death toll.

The full story can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5205488.stm.

[Coredesat]

Based on the reports I've read (the sources for the Wikipedia article I wrote on Bilis), the total death toll is 531, and the damage total is around $2.5 billion. That's about four times as much as Chanchu.

[HurricaneBill]

Based on the reports I've read (the sources for the Wikipedia article I wrote on Bilis), the total death toll is 531, and the damage total is around $2.5 billion. That's about four times as much as Chanchu.

That makes Bilis the deadliest typhoon since Typhoon Linda in 1997. Linda left 4503 dead or missing after slicing through Vietnam and Thailand. Ironically, Linda only peaked at 65KT. The vast majority of deaths occured on hundreds of fishing boats caught in Linda's path.

[Coredesat]

Interstingly enough, Bilis wasn't even a typhoon (well, not officially). It peaked at 60 kt.

[HurricaneBill]

Interstingly enough, Bilis wasn't even a typhoon (well, not officially). It peaked at 60 kt.

Well, the JMA listed it as a 10-minute sustained wind of 60 KT. That equates to a 1-minute sustained wind of around 68KT.

So, I consider Bilis to be an UNOFFICIAL typhoon.