Typhoon Meranti (2016)

This article is about the 2016 typhoon. For other storms dered over its own track while consolidating.[7]
of the same name, see Typhoon Meranti.
Northerly wind shear shifted the deepest convection to
the south of Merantis circulation,[8] although rainbands
Typhoon Meranti, known in the Philippines as Ty- and a central dense overcast continued to evolve as the
phoon Ferdie, was one of the most intense tropi- wind shear decreased.[9] By early on September 11,
cal cyclones on record, impacting the Batanes in the the storms movement was steady to the west-northwest,
Philippines, Taiwan, as well as Fujian, China in Septem- south of the ridge.[10] At 06:00 UTC that day, the JMA
ber 2016. The fourteenth named storm of the annual ty- upgraded Meranti to typhoon status,[11] and shortly therephoon season, Meranti was the strongest typhoon since after the JTWC followed suit.[12] The storms structure
Typhoon Megi in 2010 in terms of pressure, the strongest continued to improve, with increased outow.[13] A small
since Typhoon Haiyan of 2013 in terms of maximum eye 9 km (5.6 mi) across developed within the spiraling
sustained winds, as well as the strongest tropical cyclone thunderstorms, signaling that Meranti was rapidly intensiworldwide in 2016.
fying.[14] At 06:00 UTC on September 12, the JTWC upgraded Meranti to a super typhoon, with 1-minute maximum sustained winds of 240 km/h (150 mph).[15]

Meteorological history

Six hours later, the JTWC estimated 1-minute sustained

winds of 285 km/h (180 mph), equivalent to Category 5
on the SarSimpson scale, while noting an extremely
favorable environment, and that the eye became even
more symmetric within intense convection.[16] Outow
enhanced by a strong anticyclone over Meranti fueled the
intensication,[17] and the typhoon peaked in intensity on
September 13 while passing through the Luzon Strait.
The JMA estimated peak 10-minute sustained winds of
220 km/h (140 mph) and a minimum barometric pressure of 890 hPa (mbar; 26.28 inHg),[18] while the JTWC
estimated peak 1-minute sustained winds of 305 km/h
(190 mph).[19] Based on the JMA pressure estimate, Meranti was among the most intense tropical cyclones. The
JTWC wind estimate made Meranti the strongest tropical
cyclone worldwide in 2016, surpassing Cyclone Winston,
which had winds of 285 km/h (180 mph) when it struck
Fiji in February.[20]

Map plotting the track and intensity of the storm according to the
SarSimpson hurricane wind scale

On September 8, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center

(JTWC)[nb 1] issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
for an area of convection about 155 km (96 mi) west of
Guam in the western Pacic Ocean. According to the
agency, the circulation was rapidly consolidating alongside fragmented rainbands.[2] At 18:00 UTC that night,
the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)[nb 2] classied
the system as a depression.[4] The next day, the JTWC
classied it as Tropical Depression 16W. By that time, the
nascent system was moving slowly west-northwestward
through a region of low wind shear, steered by ridges
to the north and southwest. Increasing but fragmented
convection, or thunderstorms, was fueled by unusually
warm water temperatures and outow from the south.[5]
At 06:00 UTC on September 10, the JMA upgraded the
depression to Tropical Storm Meranti,[6] which mean-

Late on September 13, the storm made landfall on the

83 km2 (32 sq mi) island of Itbayat in the Philippine
province of Batanes while near its peak intensity.[21] At
around 03:05 CST on September 15 (19:05 UTC on
September 14), Meranti made landfall over Xiang'an District, Xiamen in Fujian, China with measured 2-minute
sustained winds of 173 km/h (108 mph),[22] making it the
strongest typhoon to ever make landfall in Chinas Fujian
Province.[23]

REFERENCES

Yongchun County destroyed an 871-year-old bridge that

was classied as a protected heritage site.[25][31] Flooding
in Zhejiang claimed at least ten lives and left four others
missing. At least 902 homes collapsed and 1.5 million
people in the province were aected.[30]

3 See also
Typhoon Wayne (1983)
Typhoon Longwang
The eye of Meranti passed directly over Itbayat at 17:35 UTC on
September 13

Typhoon Fanapi

Typhoon Soudelor

2.1

Impact
Philippines

Meranti struck the northernmost Philippine province of

Batanes at peak strength, passing directly over the island
of Itbayat; the island was left isolated after communications were lost during the storm on September 14.[24]
From text messages received by family members, residents in Itbayat reported their stone homes to be swaying
during the height of the typhoon.[25] Assessments as of
September 17 indicated that 292 homes were destroyed
and 932 were damaged across the Batanes. More than
10,000 people were aected by the storm, with many in
dire need of water. A state of calamity was declared for
the province on September 15. Total damage exceeds an
approximate total of 244.8 million (US$5.13 million)
as of September 21.[24]
Government relief eorts reached Itbayat on September
18, reporting no casualties on the island.[26]

2.2

Taiwan

At least two people were killed in Taiwan.[27] Nearly 1

million households lost power and 720,000 lost water
supplies.[28] Agricultural damage exceeded NT$850 million (US$27 million).[29] A small lighthouse in Taitung
County collapsed and rough seas unmoored 10 vessels in
Kaohsiung Harbor.[25]

2.3

Mainland China

Typhoon Meranti wrought extensive damage across Fujian and Zhejiang provinces. In Fujian, the storm killed
18 people and left 11 others missing. Typhoon-force
winds and ash oods caused tremendous damage, leaving more than 16.9 billion (US$2.6 billion) in economic
losses. The cities of Xiamen, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou
were left paralyzed in Merantis wake.[30] Flash oods in

Typhoon Usagi (2013)

Typhoon Nepartak (2016)

4 Notes
[1] The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United
States Navy United States Air Force task force that
issues tropical cyclone warnings for the western Pacic
Ocean and other regions.[1]
[2] The Japan Meteorological Agency is the ocial Regional
Specialized Meteorological Center for the western Pacic
Ocean.[3]

5 References
[1] Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2011). Joint Typhoon
Warning Center Mission Statement. United States Navy,
United States Air Force. Archived from the original on
2007-07-26. Retrieved 2011-11-30.
[2] Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center. September 8, 2016. Archived
from the original on September 8, 2016. Retrieved
September 13, 2016.
[3] Latest Advisories on Current Tropical Cyclones Hurricanes Typhoons. World Meteorological Organization.
Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[4] RSMC Tropical Cyclone Advisory. Japan Meteorological Agency. Archived from the original on September 10,
2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[5] Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Depression 16W (Sixteen) Warning NR 001 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning
Center. September 8, 2016. Archived from the original
on September 9, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[6] TS 1614 (Meranti) Upgraded from TD. Japan Meteorological Agency. Archived from the original on September
10, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.

[7] Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Depression 16W (Sixteen) Warning NR 002 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning
Center. September 9, 2016. Archived from the original
on September 9, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[8] Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Depression 16W (Sixteen) Warning NR 004 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning
Center. September 9, 2016. Archived from the original
on September 9, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[9] Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 16W (Meranti)
Warning NR 009 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center. September 10, 2016. Archived from the original on
September 11, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[10] Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 16W (Meranti)
Warning NR 010 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center. September 11, 2016. Archived from the original on
September 11, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[11] TY 1614 (Meranti) Upgraded from TS. Japan Meteorological Agency. Archived from the original on September
11, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[12] Tropical Storm 16W (Meranti) Warning NR 011 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center. September 11,
2016. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016.
Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[13] Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 16W (Meranti)
Warning NR 012 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center. September 11, 2016. Archived from the original on
September 11, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[14] Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 16W (Meranti) Warning NR 014 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
September 12, 2016. Archived from the original on
September 11, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[15] Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 16W (Meranti) Warning NR 015 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
September 12, 2016. Archived from the original on
September 12, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[16] Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 16W (Meranti) Warning NR 016 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
September 12, 2016. Archived from the original on
September 12, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
[17] Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 16W (Meranti) Warning NR 017 (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
September 12, 2016. Archived from the original on
September 13, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
[18] RSMC Tropical Cyclone Advisory. Japan Meteorological Agency. September 13, 2016. Archived from the
original on September 13, 2016. Retrieved September 17,
2016.
[19] Various. Tropical Cyclone Advisories. Unisys Corporation. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
[20] Bob Hensen; Je Masters (September 13, 2016).
Taiwan, China Brace for Cat 5 Meranti; TS Ian Churns
Through Open Atlantic. WeatherUnderground. Retrieved September 13, 2016.

[21] Smith, Nicola (14 September 2016). Typhoon Meranti:

fears for tiny Philippine island in eye of a megastorm.
The Guardian. Taipei. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
[22] "
15 3 20
" (in Chinese). National
Meteorological Center. September 14, 2016. Archived
from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved
September 14, 2016.
[23] Typhoon Meranti lashes China after pounding Taiwan.
Sechylles News. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 15
September 2016.
[24] SitRep No. 07 re Preparedness Measures and Eects of
Typhoon Ferdie (I.N. Meranti) (PDF) (Report). The
Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. September 17, 2016. Retrieved September
17, 2016.
[25] Eric Chaney and Sean Breslin (September 17, 2016).
At Least 15 Dead, 14 Missing After Typhoon Meranti
Slams Taiwan, China. The Weather Channel. Retrieved
September 17, 2016.
[26] Tupaz, Voltaire (September 18, 2016). Zero casualty:
Government reaches isolated Batanes island. Rappler.
Retrieved 18 September 2016.
[27] Death toll rises to 15 after typhoon batters China, Taiwan. CTVNews. September 17, 2016.
[28] Andrew V. Pestano (September 15, 2016). Typhoon
Meranti kills one, destroys historic bridge; thousands
without power. United Press International. Retrieved
September 17, 2016.
[29] Wendy Lee (September 19, 2016). Agricultural losses
from typhoon Meranti over NT$850 million. Taiwan
News. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
[30] China braces for another typhoon after 'Meranti' kills
28. Economic Times. September 17, 2016. Retrieved
September 17, 2016.
[31] Typhoon Meranti leaves 16 dead or missing in China, destroys ancient bridge. The Straits Times. Agence FrancePresse. September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 17,
2016.

6 External links
JMA General Information of Typhoon Meranti
(1614) from Digital Typhoon
16W.MERANTI from the U.S. Naval Research
Laboratory

7 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1

Text

Typhoon Meranti (2016) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Meranti_(2016)?oldid=740916634 Contributors: DocWatson42, Hurricanehink, Colonies Chris, Meow, KrakatoaKatie, Pupitar13, Aurora2698, Cyclonebiskit, Jasper Deng, Hariboneagle927,
Serols, Undescribed, Jim Michael, BabbaQ, Ad Orientem, ClueBot NG, MelbourneStar, Hamham31, David.moreno72, Bryski 25, Dannyniu, CVQT, Typhoon2013, MarioProtIV, N-C16, Amortias, Trainbuzz, KN2731, AlphaBetaGamma01, Jdcomix, My Chemistry romantic, Sro23, CAPTAIN RAJU, Excedron9238, Elizabeth'94, VintageHygrometer, IamSID, IPhone Hurricane 95, WillieOnFeels, Dark
DISCO, TheRealToxic and Anonymous: 30

7.2

Images

File:2016_Pacific_typhoon_season_summary.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/2016_Pacific_

typhoon_season_summary.png License: Public domain Contributors: Created using Wikipedia:WikiProject Tropical cyclones/Tracks. The
background image is from NASA [1]. The tracking data is from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center's best track database Original artist:
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Contributors: self-made, inspired by Gnome globe current event.svg, using Information icon3.svg and Earth clip art.svg Original artist:
Vipersnake151, penubag, Tkgd2007 (clock)
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Cyclone_Catarina_from_the_ISS_on_March_26_2004.JPG License: Public domain Contributors: NASA Original artist: Astronaut photograph ISS008-E-19646 was taken March 7, 2004, with a Kodak DCS760 digital camera equipped with an 50-mm lens, and is provided by
the Earth Observations Laboratory, Johnson Space Center.
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domain Contributors: Created by Meow using Wikipedia:WikiProject Tropical cyclones/Tracks. The background image is from NASA.
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BY-SA 2.5 Contributors: Mad by Lokal_Prol by combining: Original artist: Lokal_Prol
File:Typhoon_Meranti_over_Itbayat_at_1735Z_on_September_13,_2016.gif Source:
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CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: This le was derived from Wiki letter w.svg: <a href='//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
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7.3

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