Dangerous Typhoon Hagupit Attains SEVERE Cat 4 Strength

Here is my final post (for now) on Typhoon Hagupit. ( Hagupit = 'to lash' )

Apparently, due to the successful eyewall replacement cycle completed just as the typhoon was making it's approach towards Hong Kong, Hagupit has indeed organized and strengthened to a Severe Category 4 Typhoon.

The strongest sustained winds are now estimated at 115 Kts. (130+ mph!) with lowest central pressure (measured or estimated, I don't know which) currently at 937 mb.

And from observing the most-recent color-enhanced IR loop (the most recent available image shown here), one can see an explosion in the intensity of the inner eyewall convection.

Just prior to eyewall replacement, there was very little in the way of cloud tops -80 C or colder (gold), and even the area of cloud tops -70 C and colder (red) was not overly impressive by any stretch.

But! Upon completion of the supposed eyewall replacement cycle, the inner convection 'deepened' in dramatic fashion, with the -70 C tops (seen in red) spreading and fanning out tremendously, and a bright golden band of extremely cold tops of -80 sprouted up, forming a nearly continuous ring, firmly establishing the very potent Cat. 4-class eyewall now in dramatic evidence.

It will be interesting to see what effects Hagupit has had in HK, and the even more severe destruction along the rugged coastline along it's path of landfall. Sorry to say, but I think Severe Hagupit will be one for the history books that people will long remember.

More later when I can find the time.

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