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Typhoon Yutu
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Typhoon Yutu
Typhoon Yutu, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Rosita, was an extremely powerful tropical cyclone that caused catastrophic destruction on the islands of Tinian and Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, and later impacted the Philippines. It is the strongest typhoon ever recorded to impact the Mariana Islands, and is tied as the second-strongest tropical cyclone to strike the United States and its unincorporated territories by both wind speed and barometric pressure. It also tied Typhoon Kong-rey as the most powerful tropical cyclone worldwide in 2018.
The twenty-sixth named storm and the twelfth typhoon of the 2018 Pacific typhoon season, Yutu originated as a tropical disturbance moving westward on October 18. It became a tropical depression two days later near the Marshall Islands, before strengthening further into a tropical storm on October 22, receiving the name Yutu from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Favorable conditions led to a period of rapid intensification, causing Yutu to become a typhoon as it moved west-northwestward on October 23, and by the next day, Yutu had achieved its peak intensity; the JMA estimated 10-minute maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph) and a lowest central pressure of 900 hPa (26.58 inHg), while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center assessed 1-minute winds of 280 km/h (175 mph). An eyewall replacement cycle ensued, weakening Yutu, before making landfall over Tinian on October 25. Substantial outflow allowed the storm to re-strengthen, making it reach a secondary peak on October 26. As it approached the Philippines the following day, PAGASA assigned it the local name Rosita, while it began to reach less favorable conditions. The storm made a second landfall over Dinapigue, Isabela by October 29. Yutu then entered the South China Sea, where it continued to weaken while turning northward, until it had dissipated by November 3.
An emergency was declared for the Northern Mariana Islands as Yutu approached the archipelago, while tropical cyclone warnings and watches were raised. Winds of 270 km/h (170 mph) and gusts of 320 km/h (200 mph) swept across Tinian and Saipan, causing devastating damage throughout the Northern Mariana Islands that amounted over US$800 million, far exceeding that of Typhoon Soudelor in 2015. The storm destroyed up to 6,000 homes and toppled 962 power poles in Saipan and Tinian, leaving the islands without power for months. Health centers and airports in the two islands sustained serious damage. Two women were killed in Saipan and 121–133 people were injured. Yutu caused power outages to Rota and Guam, with damage to the latter island estimated at US$750,000. In response to the disaster, a major disaster declaration from U.S. President Donald Trump was signed; the Northern Mariana Islands received aid from organizations and local and federal governments.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals were issued throughout Luzon while the Philippines was still recovering from Typhoon Mangkhut, leading to pre-emptive evacuation of 32,519 people. Yutu brought rainfall of 50 to 300 mm (2.0 to 11.8 in) on the island, flooding low-lying areas. Yutu affected 567,691 people across the nation, displacing a majority of them after damaging 66,165 homes. The storm killed 32 people in the country, 21 of which died in Natonin from one of at least eleven landslides, and also injured two. Power outages occurred across Luzon, with most of it restored by October 31. Agricultural damage in the Philippines amounted to ₱2.904 billion (US$55.160 million). Elsewhere, a man in Hong Kong died while surfing in high waves as a typhoon signal was hoisted.
Typhoon Yutu originated on October 18, 2018, from an area of atmospheric convection, or thunderstorms, near 8°36′N 169°24′E / 8.6°N 169.4°E. Having an unorganized center with scattered convection, the tropical disturbance situated around warm waters of 29–30 °C (84–86 °F) and low vertical wind shear, acquiring dual outflow channels aloft—all of which aided in development. Moving westward during October 20, the system received excellent equatorward outflow, while intense convection wrapped into its elongated center. By 18:00 UTC, the JMA reported that the disturbance had intensified into a tropical depression near the Marshall Islands. Eighteen hours later on October 21, the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) designated the consolidating system 31W. A subtropical ridge to the southwest steered the storm west-northwestward, towards the Mariana Islands. Radial outflow was limited by a weak tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT) cell to the northwest, though the cell soon diminished the next day. At 00:00 UTC, both the JMA and JTWC classified the system a tropical storm, with the former assigning it the name Yutu.
Yutu expanded in size, with the strongest convection to the east and south of the center; an intense rainband to the south later developed, marking the beginning of a period of explosive intensification. Deep convection bloomed, obscuring the center and significantly improving its structure with substantial poleward and radial outflow. At 18:00 UTC, the JMA upgraded Yutu to a severe tropical storm, and six hours later on October 23, both the JMA and JTWC classified the storm a typhoon. A pinhole eye began to develop, becoming apparent on satellite imagery, with banding features continuously tightening towards the center. A large area of intense thunderstorms persisted to the north of the center, as very favorable conditions fueled the typhoon. Over a region of high ocean heat content, the eye became well-defined and expanded to 43 km (26 mi). Although it soon contracted to 33 km (21 mi), by 00:00 UTC of October 24, Yutu was classified a super typhoon by the JTWC. The eye became 37 km (23 mi) wide, with extremely deep convective bands to the north and south of it. By 12:00 UTC, the JMA and JTWC reported that Yutu had attained its peak intensity; the former estimated 10-minute maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph) and a barometric pressure of 900 hPa (26.58 inHg), and the latter estimated 1-minute winds of 280 km/h (175 mph), making Yutu equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Operationally, the JTWC estimated winds of 285 km/h (180 mph)—based on Dvorak estimates of T7.5, which utilized satellite appearance to determine intensity.
Between 14:00 UTC and 18:00 UTC (00:00 ChST and 04:00 ChST of October 25), Yutu struck Tinian and the southern portion of Saipan at peak intensity, becoming the most powerful storm on record to impact the Northern Mariana Islands, surpassing Typhoon Soudelor in 2015. Additionally, the JTWC reported a lowest central pressure of 904 hPa (26.70 inHg) at 18:00 UTC. After striking the Mariana Islands, cold cloud tops began to warm, signaling a weakening trend. Furthermore, microwave imagery revealed concentric eyewalls, indicating the onset of an eyewall replacement cycle. During the process, the eastern periphery of the eyewall thinned under the influence of dry air in the middle troposphere, as wind shear became moderate during October 25. The primary eyewall then eroded, as an anticyclone east of the storm obstructed outflow. The cycle was then completed, evident by a Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder image. Yutu was more asymmetric, with its movement influenced by the subtropical ridge to the north and a large, weak mid-latitude shortwave trough associated with it. During October 26, the eye again became well-defined and expanded to 41 km (25 mi), as low easterly wind shear and excellent outflow persisted despite the anticyclone. Convection near the center became symmetrical, cloud tops cooled, and the eye contracted and became cloud-filled. The eye then sharpened and became 56 km (35 mi) wide as convective bands wrapped very tightly into the intense center. By 18:00 UTC, the JMA and the JTWC reported that Yutu had attained its secondary peak intensity; the JMA estimated winds of 195 km/h (120 mph) and a minimum barometric pressure of 915 hPa (27.02 inHg), and the JTWC gave Yutu the same wind estimate as the previous peak.
Over the Philippine Sea, Yutu crossed the 135°E boundary of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 00:00 UTC of October 27, receiving the local name Rosita from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Cloud tops reached −82 °C (−116 °F) as Yutu remained over warm waters, steering westward, though the eye became ragged. Yutu then briefly entered a region of high vertical wind shear, weakening the storm. The eye enlarged further to 93 km (58 mi) on October 28, though poleward outflow weakened. Intense thunderstorms eroded off the eastern edge of Yutu from dry air, which wrapped into the storm's circulation from the west, with cloud tops warming and the eye contracting; on this basis, the JTWC assessed that Yutu had weakened to below super typhoon strength at 12:00 UTC. Sea surface temperatures had also decreased in the cold wakes of previous Typhoons Mangkhut, Trami, and Kong-rey advected by the North Equatorial Current, contributing to the degrading of Yutu. While approaching Luzon, rainbands began to collapse, after outflow had reduced. Meanwhile, Yutu steered west-southwestward along the southern edge of the subtropical ridge. During October 29, the eye became ill-defined and cloud-filled, with most convection in the southern eyewall and limited in the northern part of it. Between 20:00 UTC and 21:00 UTC, Yutu made landfall over Dinapigue, Isabela, Philippines, with winds of 139 km/h (86 mph) estimated by PAGASA. The JTWC, however, reported that Yutu had made landfall at 19:50 UTC. The storm continued to rapidly decay tracking westward inland over the next day. Despite this, the system still remained organized as it began to emerge over the South China Sea, though it weakened into a severe tropical storm at 06:00 UTC according to the JMA.
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Typhoon Yutu
Typhoon Yutu, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Rosita, was an extremely powerful tropical cyclone that caused catastrophic destruction on the islands of Tinian and Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, and later impacted the Philippines. It is the strongest typhoon ever recorded to impact the Mariana Islands, and is tied as the second-strongest tropical cyclone to strike the United States and its unincorporated territories by both wind speed and barometric pressure. It also tied Typhoon Kong-rey as the most powerful tropical cyclone worldwide in 2018.
The twenty-sixth named storm and the twelfth typhoon of the 2018 Pacific typhoon season, Yutu originated as a tropical disturbance moving westward on October 18. It became a tropical depression two days later near the Marshall Islands, before strengthening further into a tropical storm on October 22, receiving the name Yutu from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Favorable conditions led to a period of rapid intensification, causing Yutu to become a typhoon as it moved west-northwestward on October 23, and by the next day, Yutu had achieved its peak intensity; the JMA estimated 10-minute maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph) and a lowest central pressure of 900 hPa (26.58 inHg), while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center assessed 1-minute winds of 280 km/h (175 mph). An eyewall replacement cycle ensued, weakening Yutu, before making landfall over Tinian on October 25. Substantial outflow allowed the storm to re-strengthen, making it reach a secondary peak on October 26. As it approached the Philippines the following day, PAGASA assigned it the local name Rosita, while it began to reach less favorable conditions. The storm made a second landfall over Dinapigue, Isabela by October 29. Yutu then entered the South China Sea, where it continued to weaken while turning northward, until it had dissipated by November 3.
An emergency was declared for the Northern Mariana Islands as Yutu approached the archipelago, while tropical cyclone warnings and watches were raised. Winds of 270 km/h (170 mph) and gusts of 320 km/h (200 mph) swept across Tinian and Saipan, causing devastating damage throughout the Northern Mariana Islands that amounted over US$800 million, far exceeding that of Typhoon Soudelor in 2015. The storm destroyed up to 6,000 homes and toppled 962 power poles in Saipan and Tinian, leaving the islands without power for months. Health centers and airports in the two islands sustained serious damage. Two women were killed in Saipan and 121–133 people were injured. Yutu caused power outages to Rota and Guam, with damage to the latter island estimated at US$750,000. In response to the disaster, a major disaster declaration from U.S. President Donald Trump was signed; the Northern Mariana Islands received aid from organizations and local and federal governments.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals were issued throughout Luzon while the Philippines was still recovering from Typhoon Mangkhut, leading to pre-emptive evacuation of 32,519 people. Yutu brought rainfall of 50 to 300 mm (2.0 to 11.8 in) on the island, flooding low-lying areas. Yutu affected 567,691 people across the nation, displacing a majority of them after damaging 66,165 homes. The storm killed 32 people in the country, 21 of which died in Natonin from one of at least eleven landslides, and also injured two. Power outages occurred across Luzon, with most of it restored by October 31. Agricultural damage in the Philippines amounted to ₱2.904 billion (US$55.160 million). Elsewhere, a man in Hong Kong died while surfing in high waves as a typhoon signal was hoisted.
Typhoon Yutu originated on October 18, 2018, from an area of atmospheric convection, or thunderstorms, near 8°36′N 169°24′E / 8.6°N 169.4°E. Having an unorganized center with scattered convection, the tropical disturbance situated around warm waters of 29–30 °C (84–86 °F) and low vertical wind shear, acquiring dual outflow channels aloft—all of which aided in development. Moving westward during October 20, the system received excellent equatorward outflow, while intense convection wrapped into its elongated center. By 18:00 UTC, the JMA reported that the disturbance had intensified into a tropical depression near the Marshall Islands. Eighteen hours later on October 21, the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) designated the consolidating system 31W. A subtropical ridge to the southwest steered the storm west-northwestward, towards the Mariana Islands. Radial outflow was limited by a weak tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT) cell to the northwest, though the cell soon diminished the next day. At 00:00 UTC, both the JMA and JTWC classified the system a tropical storm, with the former assigning it the name Yutu.
Yutu expanded in size, with the strongest convection to the east and south of the center; an intense rainband to the south later developed, marking the beginning of a period of explosive intensification. Deep convection bloomed, obscuring the center and significantly improving its structure with substantial poleward and radial outflow. At 18:00 UTC, the JMA upgraded Yutu to a severe tropical storm, and six hours later on October 23, both the JMA and JTWC classified the storm a typhoon. A pinhole eye began to develop, becoming apparent on satellite imagery, with banding features continuously tightening towards the center. A large area of intense thunderstorms persisted to the north of the center, as very favorable conditions fueled the typhoon. Over a region of high ocean heat content, the eye became well-defined and expanded to 43 km (26 mi). Although it soon contracted to 33 km (21 mi), by 00:00 UTC of October 24, Yutu was classified a super typhoon by the JTWC. The eye became 37 km (23 mi) wide, with extremely deep convective bands to the north and south of it. By 12:00 UTC, the JMA and JTWC reported that Yutu had attained its peak intensity; the former estimated 10-minute maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph) and a barometric pressure of 900 hPa (26.58 inHg), and the latter estimated 1-minute winds of 280 km/h (175 mph), making Yutu equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Operationally, the JTWC estimated winds of 285 km/h (180 mph)—based on Dvorak estimates of T7.5, which utilized satellite appearance to determine intensity.
Between 14:00 UTC and 18:00 UTC (00:00 ChST and 04:00 ChST of October 25), Yutu struck Tinian and the southern portion of Saipan at peak intensity, becoming the most powerful storm on record to impact the Northern Mariana Islands, surpassing Typhoon Soudelor in 2015. Additionally, the JTWC reported a lowest central pressure of 904 hPa (26.70 inHg) at 18:00 UTC. After striking the Mariana Islands, cold cloud tops began to warm, signaling a weakening trend. Furthermore, microwave imagery revealed concentric eyewalls, indicating the onset of an eyewall replacement cycle. During the process, the eastern periphery of the eyewall thinned under the influence of dry air in the middle troposphere, as wind shear became moderate during October 25. The primary eyewall then eroded, as an anticyclone east of the storm obstructed outflow. The cycle was then completed, evident by a Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder image. Yutu was more asymmetric, with its movement influenced by the subtropical ridge to the north and a large, weak mid-latitude shortwave trough associated with it. During October 26, the eye again became well-defined and expanded to 41 km (25 mi), as low easterly wind shear and excellent outflow persisted despite the anticyclone. Convection near the center became symmetrical, cloud tops cooled, and the eye contracted and became cloud-filled. The eye then sharpened and became 56 km (35 mi) wide as convective bands wrapped very tightly into the intense center. By 18:00 UTC, the JMA and the JTWC reported that Yutu had attained its secondary peak intensity; the JMA estimated winds of 195 km/h (120 mph) and a minimum barometric pressure of 915 hPa (27.02 inHg), and the JTWC gave Yutu the same wind estimate as the previous peak.
Over the Philippine Sea, Yutu crossed the 135°E boundary of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 00:00 UTC of October 27, receiving the local name Rosita from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Cloud tops reached −82 °C (−116 °F) as Yutu remained over warm waters, steering westward, though the eye became ragged. Yutu then briefly entered a region of high vertical wind shear, weakening the storm. The eye enlarged further to 93 km (58 mi) on October 28, though poleward outflow weakened. Intense thunderstorms eroded off the eastern edge of Yutu from dry air, which wrapped into the storm's circulation from the west, with cloud tops warming and the eye contracting; on this basis, the JTWC assessed that Yutu had weakened to below super typhoon strength at 12:00 UTC. Sea surface temperatures had also decreased in the cold wakes of previous Typhoons Mangkhut, Trami, and Kong-rey advected by the North Equatorial Current, contributing to the degrading of Yutu. While approaching Luzon, rainbands began to collapse, after outflow had reduced. Meanwhile, Yutu steered west-southwestward along the southern edge of the subtropical ridge. During October 29, the eye became ill-defined and cloud-filled, with most convection in the southern eyewall and limited in the northern part of it. Between 20:00 UTC and 21:00 UTC, Yutu made landfall over Dinapigue, Isabela, Philippines, with winds of 139 km/h (86 mph) estimated by PAGASA. The JTWC, however, reported that Yutu had made landfall at 19:50 UTC. The storm continued to rapidly decay tracking westward inland over the next day. Despite this, the system still remained organized as it began to emerge over the South China Sea, though it weakened into a severe tropical storm at 06:00 UTC according to the JMA.
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