Super Typhoon Rammasun tracking chart - click to enlarge

                  

Super Typhoon Rammasun likely to have peaked in strength

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 10 May, 2008 : - - As of Saturday morning, EDT, the storm was centered near 16.9 north and 132.0 east, or approximately 700 miles south-southeast of Naha, on the island of Okinawa. Rammasun has strengthened rapidly over the past 24 hours and is now a super typhoon with sustained winds of 155 mph with gusts as high as 190 mph. The storm is moving to the north at 15 mph, and this motion is expected to continue over the next 24 hours. The storm currently looks very impressive on satellite imagery with a concentric tight eyewall and well-defined spiral banding over much of the storm.

Rammasun continues to avoid land as it moves almost due north across the open waters of the eastern Philippine Sea. The storm is currently moving along the western edge of a subtropical ridge located to the east of the the typhoon. However, the storm could shift more to the northeast early next week and could be a threat to Chichi Jima and Iwo To; whether or not this verifies depends on the timing of the storm's turn to the northeast. A sharper northeast shift would take it very close to these islands; a less drastic turn or a continuous northerly path would take it close to mainland Japan.

The storm has likely reached its peak intensity as a super typhoon. When storms reach this intensity, often times eyewall replacement cycles will slow down strengthening and possibly cause some weakening. The storm is expected to begin to weaken later Sunday and into Monday EDT as the storm moves farther north over an area of cooler weather and increasing wind shear.  

Super Typhoon Rammasun - click to enlarge

Super Typhoon RAMMASUN Forecast/Advisory(JTWC)
Super Typhoon RAMMASUN Prognostic Reasoning(JTWC)
Super Typhoon RAMMASUN JMV 3.0 Data

Satellite Imagery

• Storm-Centered Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Water Vapor(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Visible(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Water Visible (Colorized)(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)

• West Pacific/South China Sea Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA)
• West Pacific/South China Sea Enhanced Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA)
• West Pacific/South China Sea Water Vapor(MTSAT; NOAA)
• West Pacific/South China Sea Visible(MTSAT; NOAA)
• West Pacific/South China Sea Infrared(MTSAT; NPMOC/JTWC)
• West Pacific/South China Sea Water Vapor(MTSAT; NPMOC/JTWC)
• West Pacific/South China Sea Visible(MTSAT; NPMOC/JTWC)
• West Pacific Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• West Pacific Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• West Pacific Water Vapor(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• West Pacific Visible(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• West Pacific Visible (Colorized)(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• Tropical West Pacific Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA)
• Tropical West Pacific Enhanced Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA)
• Tropical West Pacific Water Vapor(MTSAT; NOAA)
• Tropical West Pacific Visible(MTSAT; NOAA)

Satellite Animations

• Storm-Centered Visible/Infrared(MTSAT; CIMSS)

• West Pacific/South China Sea Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA)
• West Pacific/South China Sea Enhanced Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA)
• West Pacific/South China Sea Water Vapor(MTSAT; NOAA)
• Tropical West Pacific Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA)
• Tropical West Pacific Enhanced Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA)
• Tropical West Pacific Water Vapor(MTSAT; NOAA)
• Tropical West Pacific Visible(MTSAT; NOAA)
• West Pacific Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• West Pacific Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• West Pacific Water Vapor(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• West Pacific Visible(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• West Pacific Visible (Colorized)(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)  

Hurricane/Cyclone/Typhoon links:

NHC Forecasts & Warnings(NOAA)
NHC Latest Satellite Imagary (NOAA)

Central Pacific Hurricane Center(NOAA) 
West Pacific Typhoon Tracking (HZN)

Tropical Analysis and Forecasting(NOAA)
East Coast Wave Charts/Cams etc(SURFORECASTS)

More Australasian Surfing News available here
Check the latest Australasian Surf Reports and Forecasts

New! B2B News ASBE-Surf   |  Receive News-Alerts

NOAA / Reuters

Environment - Surfersvillage