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DISCUSSION: Super typhoon Nepartak’s evolution across central portions in the Western Pacific Ocean is a testament to the incredibly rapid changes that can occur in association with rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones in that part of the world. In the video below which captured the evolution of the cyclone by the Himawari-8 Satellite, note how the formation of the tropical storm began on July 2nd as a cluster of thunderstorms. By July 3rd , this intensifying tropical cyclone rapidly evolved a visually evident low level circulation 20 seconds into the video. On the 4th of July, the disturbance quickly strengthened which was visually identified by an explosion of deep convective clouds around the center at around 40 seconds. Soon after that time, maximum sustained winds close to the low level circulation center neared 90 km/h, upgrading the storm’s classification to a strong tropical cyclone. By the 5th of July, the storm’s maximum sustained winds increased sufficiently such that it became designated a typhoon with a distinct eye. From there, the tropical cyclone continued to strengthen and was upgraded to a severe typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 155 km/h. At 1:25 in the video, you can clearly identify spiral rain bands as well as gravity waves radiating outward from the center of the severe typhoon. Nepartak continued to intensify in strength and ultimately reached super typhoon with 230 km/h maximum sustained winds near its center by July 6th at around 1:35. Though, not shown in the video, the super typhoon made landfall in Taiwan on July 8th, where it began to weaken and has since become a remnant low pressure area in Jiangxi, China. To learn more about other high-impact weather events from across the Western Pacific Ocean, be sure to click here!
@Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz 
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DISCUSSION: Over the last 72 to 96 hours, as Tropical Storm Nepartak underwent several periods of rapid intensification, truly phenomenal inner-core structual detail took shape fairly quickly. As this tropical cyclone underwent that very rapid intensification, the associated pressure gradient developing within the storm was so intense that internal atmospheric features known as gravity waves began to emerge and radiate outward from the center of Nepartak. Gravity waves tend to form within rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones as a consequence of localized elevated instability which forces the anti-cyclonically rotating cloud structure to move outward from the center and is observed as "ripples moving away from the center of storm." The presence of these gravity waves are a strong indication of the brute force which has been associated with this very powerful tropical cyclone. Before videos and images begin to come in from world news networks, the entire GWCC team sends our thoughts and prayers out to the people of Taiwan and hopefully people were able to take the necessary precautions ahead of this incredibly dangerous storm! If you or someone you know lives in any of the more densely populated cities of Eastern China, urge them to make their final preparations now since this typhoon will continues to remain to be a very dangerous threat to many parts of Eastern China over the next few days! To learn more about other high-impact weather events from across the Western Pacific Ocean, be sure to click here!
DISCUSSION: A slowly-weakening Super Typhoon Nepartak continues his impact both eastern and central portions of Taiwan this afternoon and evening (local time). However, the dangerous combination of heavy rainfall, strong winds, and violent storm surge along the eastern-facing coastlines of Taiwan will combine to create life-threatening conditions throughout the country. Of particular concern, with the heavy rainfall, is the higher probability and increasing likelihood of landslides and/or mudslides as heavy rainfall continues to weaken the surface and sub-surface soil along and on top of mountainsides. Although the storm is currently beginning to slowly weaken (as previously mentioned), the storm is still at super typhoon status with maximum sustained wind speeds at or just above 150 mph with gusts up to 185 mph! Moreover, note how in the image below (courtesy of the NOAA Satellite and Information Service) you can clearly see the gorgeous symmetry in the deepest convective parts of the inner-circulation of this powerful tropical cyclone. Thus, this is a very dangerous and serious situation that continues to threaten the entire nation of Taiwan and will go on to move off to the west and then northwest before impacting portions of Eastern China where life-threatening flooding and strong winds will bring life-threatening conditions as well. To learn more about this as well as other high-impact weather events from across the Western Pacific Ocean, be sure to click here!
SUPER TYPHOON NEPARTAK THREATENS TAIWAN AND CHINA IN THE COMING DAYS! (credit: CIMSS and Earth)7/7/2016
DISCUSSION: Over the last 24 to 36 hours as Typhoon Nepartak quickly strengthened from a fairly strong typhoon to what is now a ferocious Super Typhoon (or the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane). As this storm continues on its current track, it will soon bring a significant threat to both lives and property across both Taiwan as well as Eastern China as it storm continues heading west to west-northwest at between approximately 20 and 30 MPH. As Super Typhoon closes in on Taiwan, the initial impacts being felt along the eastern-facing shores will be increased wave action and initial outer rain bands moving through with some occasional gusty winds as the center of Nepartak continues to get closer with time. The main impacts prior to and during landfall from this intense tropical cyclone will likely be a massive storm surge, strong (damaging) winds, heavy rainfall, etc. Now how in the upper graphic linked below, you can see the near-perfect symmetry associated with Super Typhoon Nepartak as it approached and now has maintained an intensity defined by maximum sustained winds of 160 MPH with gusts up to 195 MPH! The lower graphic shows the approximate expected future track of Nepartak as it heads westward over the next few days! If someone you know is in the path of the storm, make sure they understand that the time to prepare is NOW! For future updates on this storm and other high-impact weather from across the Western Pacific Ocean, be sure to click here!
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