Typhoon Chaba (2016)

Typhoon Chaba, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Igme, was the fourth most intense tropical cyclone in 2016 and the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in South Korea since Sanba in 2012. Chaba also caused 7 deaths in the country.[1] Typhoon Chaba was the eighteenth named storm and the eighth typhoon of the 2016 Pacific typhoon season.

Typhoon Chaba (Igme)

Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 5 super typhoon (SSHWS)
Typhoon Chaba at peak intensity on October 3, observed from the International Space Station
Formed	September 24, 2016
Dissipated	October 7, 2016
(Extratropical after October 5)
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 215 km/h (130 mph) 1-minute sustained: 280 km/h (175 mph)
Lowest pressure	905 hPa (mbar); 26.72 inHg
Fatalities	10 total
Damage	$129 million (2016 USD)
Areas affected	Mariana Islands, South Korea, Japan, Russian Far East
Part of the 2016 Pacific typhoon season

Meteorological history

Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

On September 26, a tropical depression developed approximately 1,445 km (898 mi) east-northeast of Guam.[2] Despite a marginally favorable environment, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) upgraded the system to a tropical storm and assigned it the name Chaba late the next day.[2][3] Early on September 28, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) gave the identifier of 21W.[4] Flaring convection and improved overall convective structure prompted the JTWC to upgrade it to a tropical storm.[5] By September 30, Chaba had intensified into a severe tropical storm after deep convection had evolved into a banding feature and very favorable conditions such as very low wind shear and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) of about 30 degrees Celsius.[6][7] On October 1, Chaba entered the Philippine area of responsibility, with PAGASA assigning the local name Igme, as it started to move in a northwestward direction.[8] Several hours later, both agencies upgraded Chaba to a typhoon after its organization and structure had vastly improved.[9][10] During the next day, Chaba became more symmetric as feeder bands wrapped into its deep central convection, signalling the onset of explosive intensification.[11]

Continuing its strengthening trend, Chaba reached Category 5 super typhoon intensity with a sharp 5 nmi (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) wide eye surrounded by a very intense convective core due to very warm SSTs.[12] On October 3, Chaba reached its peak intensity with 10-minute sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph), 1-minute sustained winds of 280 km/h (175 mph), and a minimum central pressure of 905 mbar.[13] Thereafter, the JTWC stated that Chaba began weakening, as its core became asymmetric,[14] and Chaba weakened to a strong Category 4 typhoon by October 4.[15] Later, significant weakening led the JTWC to downgrade Chaba further to a Category 2 typhoon, due to interaction with strong north-northeasterly winds.[16] At 10:00 a.m. KST (01:00 UTC), Chaba struck Geojedo and then made landfall in Busan an hour later with winds of 120 km/h (75 mph).[17] At that time, Chaba started to undergo extratropical transition and the JTWC issued its final advisory a few hours later, while downgrading the system to a tropical storm.[18][19] At the same time, the JMA downgraded Chaba to a severe tropical storm.[20] Six hours later, the JMA issued its final advisory, as Chaba became extratropical.[21]

Preparations and impact

EVA Air and China Airlines canceled flights to Okinawa that had been scheduled for 3 October, which was the day the typhoon was forecast to impact Okinawa. EVA Air had previously been criticized for operating flights to destinations affected by typhoons a week earlier, when Typhoon Megi was affecting the region.[22]

The storm left widespread damage across the southern regions of South Korea, killing at least 7 and leaving 3 missing. Transportation was disrupted, with hundreds of flights canceled, while more than 220,000 households lost electricity. Chaba was the strongest typhoon to strike the country since Sanba in 2012,[23] and was the strongest October typhoon to hit Korea, establishing a new record for rainfall rate on Jeju Island.[24] Flooding was also reported in the southern South Korea cities of Ulsan, Gyeongju, and Busan.[25] Damages were reported at ₩143.3 billion (US$129 million).[26][27]

See also

• Typhoon Sarah (1959), one of the deadliest typhoons on record.
• Typhoon Emma (1956), which took a similar track to Sarah.
• Typhoon Maemi, the most powerful typhoon to strike South Korea since record-keeping in 1904
• Typhoon Sanba, a powerful and damaging typhoon that made landfall over South Korea in September 2012

References

1. "Typhoon Chaba leaves 7 dead, 3 missing in southern S. Korea". Yonhap News. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
2. "Tropical Disturbance Summary". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 27 September 2016.
3. "TS 1618 CHABA (1618) UPGRADED FROM TD". Japan Meteorological Agency. 27 September 2016.
4. "Tropical Depression 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 001". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 28 September 2016.
5. "Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 06". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 29 September 2016.
6. "Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 08". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 29 September 2016.
7. "STS 1618 CHABA (1618) UPGRADED FROM TS". Japan Meteorological Agency. 30 September 2016.
8. "Severe Weather Bulletin #1: Severe Tropical Storm "IGME" (CHABA)". webcitation.org. PAGASA. 1 October 2016.
9. "TY 1618 CHABA (1618) UPGRADED FROM STS". Japan Meteorological Agency. 1 October 2016.
10. "Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 15". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 1 October 2016.
11. "Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 17". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 2 October 2016.
12. "Prognostic Reasoning for Super Typhoon 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 22". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 3 October 2016.
13. "TY 1618 CHABA (1618)". Japan Meteorological Agency. 3 October 2016.
14. "Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 23". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 3 October 2016.
15. "Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 25". Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
16. "Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 28". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 4 October 2016.
17. "제18호 태풍 차바(CHABA)의 특징" (Press release) (in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
18. "Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 29". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 5 October 2016.
19. "Tropical Storm 21W (Chaba) Warning Nr 030". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 5 October 2016.
20. "STS 1618 CHABA (1618) DOWNGRADED FROM TY". Japan Meteorological Agency. 5 October 2016.
21. "DEVELOPED LOW STS 1618 CHABA (1618)". Japan Meteorological Agency. 5 October 2016.
22. Wang, Shu-fen; Kao, Evelyn (2 October 2016). "Taiwan cancels Monday flights to Okinawa due to Typhoone Chaba (update)". Focus Taiwan News Channel. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
23. "Typhoon Chaba leaves seven dead, three missing in S. Korea". Malay Mail. 7 October 2016.
24. Hong, Jun-ki (6 October 2016). "Typhoon Chaba Sets New Records". The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
25. Wheeler, Alex (7 October 2016). "Typhoone Chaba batters South Korea leaving hundreds homeless and seven dead". International Business Times. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
26. Yoon Hee-hee (11 October 2016). "태풍 '차바' 손보사 손해액 1400억 넘어". The Hankyoreh. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
27. "Global Catastrophe Recap October 2016" (PDF). thoughtleadership.aonbenfield.com. Aon Benfield. Retrieved 9 November 2017.

External links

• Track of Typhoon Chaba (1618) from Digital Typhoon
• 21W.CHABA from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory