SUPER TYPHOON NEPARTAK THREATENS TAIWAN AND CHINA IN THE COMING DAYS! (credit: CIMSS and Earth)

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!