Typhoon MEGI is now traversing across Luzon Island, and will soon enter into South China Sea. The situation in the northern Luzon Island is not clear due to the failure of communication network. The satellite image below suggests that this typhoon seems to be kept its intensity just before the landfall.

Typhoon MEGI has finally became one of the strongest typhoons. The central pressure has dropped to 890hPa, and according to the list of typhoons whose central pressure is less than 890hPa, this typhoon is the strongest typhoon in 20 years since Typhoon 199019 (FLO). And it is similar in a sense to Typhoon 199810 (ZEB), which also showed extreme intensification in the lowest activity season of 1998. When the eye became visible on satellite imagery yesterday, I felt a chill on the small pinhole eye. The typhoon then keeps intensification, and thick clouds around the center became large as the satellite image below shows. The northeast coast of Luzon Island now entered into the storm-wind circle (above 50kt wind), and northern Luzon will experience extremely strong winds and rains beyond imagination until the next morning when the typhoon is expected to move away from the island. Against such a strong typhoon like this, evacuation and preparation will be executed by the whole government, so I just wish that the damage from this typhoon is minimal. Another concern, however, is its impact on nature. I suppose that extremely strong winds will cause catastrophic damage on forests in northern Luzon. The fallen trees may cause succeeding disasters as flood wood, and rehabilitation of nature may take a long time.

Typhoon MEGI is intensifying steadily off the east coast of Philippines. It does not seem to be at the peak intensity, but thick clouds are observed in the center and the east. It is forecast to continue its intensification and make landfall in the north of Luzon Island. This typhoon is not one of the strongest typhoons, but this typhoon is expected to make landfall in a development stage, so strong rains and winds may lead to disasters in that area.

Typhoon MEGI was formed in Mariana Islands. This typhoon is a small spiral at this moment, but this birthplace is a place for the typhoon to spend enough time for intensification, which suggests steady intensification for the moment. The typhoon will move west-north-west in north of Yap Island. By the way, the formation of typhoons in this season is still much lower than average, and as of October 13, the number of typhoons is the second smallest number in history after 10 typhoons in 1998.