Level 4 Super Typhoon Bavi Threatens Taiwan With 200 MPH Gusts

Super Typhoon Bavi is headed to Taiwan, threatening to unleash wind gusts as high as 200 mph. Here is the latest on this monster storm barreling toward the island nation.

Taiwan Braces for Impact by Super Typhoon

Taiwan is up next for Super Typhoon Bavi. The massive tropical weather event has already left a trail of devastation across the Northern Mariana Islands of Rota and Guam. As of late Wednesday, the typhoon was spinning over the Philippine Sea to the west of Luzon.

Bavi is tracking toward the west-northwest on a crash course with Taiwan. The latest forecast models signal that the storm will maintain its power through Thursday as it feasts on the warm ocean waters. By late Thursday, Bavi is expected to lose just a bit of wind intensity before beginning to impact Taiwan and eastern China late Friday.

Forecasters are warning that Bavi's winds will menace Taiwan and eastern China from Friday into Monday. Gusts of up to 160 mph are on the horizon, likely to cause significant structural damage and widespread power outages.

Rain will also be a concern associated with Bavi's arrival. Rainfall totals of up to 24 inches are in the forecast for much of Taiwan and up into eastern China. Rainfall of this magnitude is capable of triggering flash flooding, mudslides, structural damage, and travel disruptions. This storm has an Accuweather RealImpact Scale rating of 4.

In addition to the wind and the rain, Bavi is expected to produce coastal flooding and storm surge along the northern and western coasts of Taiwan, as well as the Fujian and Zhejiang coasts of China. These coastal impacts are likely to be felt beginning on Friday and continuing into Saturday.

Super Typhoon Bavi's Past History

Bavi is already responsible for causing significant disruptions to a swath of the Western Pacific. The storm roared across the Mariana Islands late Sunday, impacting the island of Rota. Located 50 miles north of Guam, this island is home to Anderson Air Force Base.

Weather stations on Saipan clocked wind gusts of 110 mph, while Guam picked up a speed of 96. Areas of Saipan and Tinian were still suffering from power outages caused by April's Super Typhoon Sinlaku when Bavi hit.

Unfortunately, this corner of the world's oceans is not in the clear after Bavi passes. Forecasters are predicting that a cluster of rain showers and thunderstorms will organize and intensify as it moves from the region between the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands to the west-northwest throughout the weekend.

Another tropical depression or storm may form near the Mariana Islands on Friday and into Monday. This would result in more heavy rain and high winds for the group of islands, putting a wrench in the recovery efforts from Bavi.  

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