Typhoon Hato Makes Landfall in Southeastern China (credit: Naval Research Laboratory)

DISCUSSION: As of late last night (i.e., early Wednesday afternoon per the local time in southeastern China), Typhoon Hato finished its final approach towards southeastern China as a Typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 105 MPH and higher gusts periodically up to around 125 MPH; making it the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane.  However, as it consistently being found across many areas being directly impacted by this strong tropical cyclone, there is much less wind damage being inflicted on both coastal and semi-inland areas in the path of Hato.  Alternatively, the majority of the damage up to this point has been directly connected to the incoming storm surge directly along certain parts of the Southeastern China coastline.  Attached above is a YouTube video which contains raw footage of part of the landfall of Typhoon Hato within the past couple of hours.  Note how the impacts are certainly not as great in and around the city of Hong Kong as some were expecting and/or projecting out ahead of this tropical cyclone's landfall.  Also, note how in the earlier infrared satellite image attached above, there is also somewhat limited storm-oriented symmetry which also indicates the clear lack of balanced energy distribution within the tropical cyclone prior to landfall and helps to somewhat explain the mitigated magnitude of the associated impacts.

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​​©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz