Super Typhoon "RAGASA" to Bring Severe Wind and Rain to the South China Sea and Surrounding Areas
Currently, the center of Typhoon "RAGASA" is located approximately 590 kilometers northeast of Manila, Philippines, with maximum sustained winds exceeding 17 levels (62 meters per second) and a minimum central pressure of 910 hPa (Figure 1). It is expected to move westward at a speed of around 20 kilometers per hour, maintaining its intensity. After crossing the Bashi Channel on the 22nd, it will enter the northeastern part of the South China Sea early on the 23rd. Affected by "RAGASA" (Figure 2), from the 22nd to the 25th, regions including the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia will experience heavy to torrential rain, with some areas facing extremely heavy downpours (Figure 3). The Bashi Channel, northern South China Sea, and Beibu Gulf will successively experience gales of 9 to 11 levels, with winds of 12 to 17 levels near the typhoon's center, and gusts exceeding 17 levels. Additionally, influenced by a tropical low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal, central and southern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand will see moderate to heavy rain, with some areas experiencing torrential rain and localized extremely heavy downpours (Figure 3). Attention should be given to the adverse impacts of the severe wind and rain on power facilities, transportation, and other industries in the aforementioned regions, as well as the potential secondary disasters such as flooding, landslides, mudslides, and urban waterlogging that may be triggered by the heavy rainfall.
Figure 1: “RASAGA” Track and Intensity Forecast
Figure 2: Forecast of 500 hPa Geopotential Height Field and 850 hPa Wind Field at 1200 UTC on September 22
Figure 3: Forecasted Accumulated Precipitation from 00:00 UTC on September 22 to 00:00 UTC on September 23 (Unit: mm)
Author: Zhao Wei, Wang Qian, Min Ying Reviewer: Ma Jie
English reviewer:Wang Yi Issue approver:Dai Kan
