Twin typhoons in the Pacific

[malaise]

Figure 7. Full-disk visible image from Japan’s Himiwari-8 satellite, collected at 1100 GMT on August 19, showing twin typhoons Goni (left) and Atsani (right). Image credit: Japan Meteorological Agency, courtesy Tom Nizol, The Weather Channel.

Goni and Atsani roil the Northwest Pacific
Like two ghostly eyes peering out from the sea, the centers of Typhoon Goni and Super Typhoon Atsani are gazing up at satellites monitoring their powerhouse development. Now a Category 3 storm, with peak sustained 1-minute winds of 125 mph as of 1200 GMT Wednesday, Goni is maintaining a steadily westerly course over very warm waters. Models now agree that Goni will sharply recurve this weekend, and the model trend has been for the recurvature to happen before reaching Taiwan—good news for that populated island, still picking up the pieces from Typhoon Soudelor a few days ago. However, the recurvature will put Okinawa and Japan’s southernmost islands more at risk from a weakening Goni. As it recurves, Goni is projected by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to peak as Category 4 strength, with winds topping out around 145 mph.

Well to the east, Category 5 Atsani was packing sustained winds close to 160 mph at 1200 GMT Wednesday as it continued its northwesterly course. Favorable SSTs and light wind shear should allow Atsani to continue racking up accumulated cyclone energy (ACE). The JTWC keeps Atsani at super-typhoon strength (1-minute sustained winds of at least 150 mph) for at least another day before gradual weakening begins. Atsani is expected to recurve long before reaching Japan.

If Goni intensifies a bit more than predicted, it’s possible we will have two super typhoons at the same time. According to Phil Klotzbach (Colorado State University), this has happened only five times since 1950, most recently in 1997 (the last year we had a strong and intensifying El Niño):

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=3077

[Warpy]

1. They're a lot more spectacular on the world wind map

Last edited Wed Aug 19, 2015, 04:41 PM - Edit history (1)

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-218.48,24.10,998

ETA: If you haven't figured it out already, the map is interactive, you can zoom out and view other parts of the planet. TS Danny is quite visible, although not as spectacular (yet) as a super typhoon in duplicate.

[djean111]

3. Wow! Thanks!

[malaise]

4. Stunning indeed

Thanks Warpy

[SamKnause]

5. Indeed they are.

Thanks for the link.

[CrispyQ]

7. That is fantastic!

[Sherman A1]

8. Thanks for Posting!

Cool!!!!

[Tree-Hugger]

11. Awesome!!!! nt

[malaise]

13. Danny looks like a baby

[Cleita]

2. Wowzie!

Makes Earth look like it has a face.

[SamKnause]

6. Thanks for the post.

That does not look like a smiley face.

It looks determined and mean.

I hope they fizzle out before they reach land.

[yuiyoshida]

9. I swear i see two eyes

a nose and some lipstick lips there, mother Earth has a very perplexing expression on her face!!

[malaise]

14. Surely you don't blame her

She's fed up of human beings

[yuiyoshida]

15. Yeah its like she has

an itchy rash she can't get rid of.

[spanone]

10. the earth looks scared...

[malaise]

12. She's watching Trump and his revisionist supporters