HurricaneJosh Posted October 17, 2013 Author Share Posted October 17, 2013 Back home in SoCal-- and kind of marveling at what an awesome trip this turned out to be: three typhoon eyewalls in one week, including a Cat 4. Yowee. I take back all the things I ever said about chinacanes. They're pretty hawt, I guess I'll admit. The WPAC is now iCyclone chase turf. How can't it be after it gave me three years of chasing in seven days? Big thanks to James Reynolds. WPAC is his kingdom, and he very generously introduced it to me on this trip. I owe him the same gracious hospitality when he comes this way to chase in the USA and Mexico. This trip was a trial by fire-- a lot of rushing around and a lot of tense, difficult decision-making in a very short amount of time-- and James and I found that we're actually excellent chase partners. The interaction was smooth and efficient: our strategy negotiations were always cool and productive, and we were always committed to the same goal: to get in those inner cores at all costs. Kind of dreading all the work now-- the detailed radar postanalysis, writing the chase accounts, editing the footage, etc. But just totally thrilled with it all-- feeling like I'm at a high point in my chase career. And it's so funny that this is just weeks after a horrible low point-- that harsh Ingrid crapout in Mexico-- when I felt tired and washed up. Thanks, chinacanes!!1! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurricaneJosh Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 Here's the video teaser from the Typhoon FITOW chase! The large and powerful typhoon raked the tiny island for many hours. You can see that winds got dangerous by late afternoon and reached a full-on scream by nightfall. I was actually kind of surprised how good the audio came out in those night shots. Thanks to James for donating the hawt 5-second clip at 2:40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Here's the video teaser from the Typhoon FITOW chase! The large and powerful typhoon raked the tiny island for many hours. You can see that winds got dangerous by late afternoon and reached a full-on scream by nightfall. I was actually kind of surprised how good the audio came out in those night shots. Thanks to James for donating the hawt 5-second clip at 2:40. nice, the audio at night is classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurricaneJosh Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 nice, the audio at night is classic. Thanks, Steve!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkviking Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Thanks once again to you ex-pat Long Islander for the vicarious thrill so many of us really dream all year about experiencing, but more so this year because it has simply been boring weatherwise for many of us (outside of Feb 8 Blizzard, which I missed by a day as I flew to Palm Beach on 7th). It's been great weather in many ways this year but basically SoCal-like, at least here on Long Island. I know season is just about kaput, and barring any surprises it'll be a long wait till next year. I really hope the underperforming Atlantic isn't on a trend (since 2008, ya gotta wonder) but IF it is you'll have your newfound zone in West Pacific. Still, I really hope for a Wilma here for you to experience. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypatia Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Here's the video teaser from the Typhoon FITOW chase! The large and powerful typhoon raked the tiny island for many hours. You can see that winds got dangerous by late afternoon and reached a full-on scream by nightfall. I was actually kind of surprised how good the audio came out in those night shots. Thanks to James for donating the hawt 5-second clip at 2:40. Wonderful video Josh -- I agree with the above poster, the night-time audio is especially good. Thanks for sharing and I really look forward to seeing more of your videos from your incredible chase-cation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmx Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Good work Josh. I really liked the Fitow video. Night sound is ominous, and some of the late daylight shots are very cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Lizard Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Some suggestions on the iCycolne FB that if models verify properly w/ Krosa, the Eastern Hemisphere adventures may not be over. Imagine the frequent flyer miles, assuming using airlines with common rewards/code sharing programs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icebreaker5221 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Don't think I had a chance to say it yet, but great chases/videos Josh (and James)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Lizard Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 November typhoon adventures- rename the thread or starting a new one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmeddler Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 http://flightaware.com/live/flight/PAL103/history/20131106/0510Z/KLAX/RPLL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icebreaker5221 Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 http://flightaware.com/live/flight/PAL103/history/20131106/0510Z/KLAX/RPLL Yeah, I saw on facebook Josh posted that they're headed to Samar Island. Looks like the logical choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Lizard Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Copied from WPAC thread their "responsibility" begins at 135E so they'd probably give it that name later tonight... as far as the earthquake, the areas impacted will definitely get some rains... hopefully, the strongest winds stay farther north... there are still people in evacuation areas especially in Bohol... not sure about Josh, but if he'll chase, the southern half of Samar Island has a couple of nicely-sized towns and a big city (Tacloban) on another island is physically connected by a bridge (longest in the country)... current JTWC track is putting the center around that area... Wiki The San Juanico Bridge serves as a major gateway for trade and commerce between Leyte and Samar provinces. Moreover, it is now possible to travel by land straight from Luzon in the north of the Philippines to Mindanao in the south. The bridge is also one of the popular tourist attractions of Tacloban City and Leyte. Connecting Tacloban City on the Leyte side and Santa Rita town on the Samar side, the bridge offers many picturesque views, especially of the San Juanico Strait with its thousand whirlpools as well as the islets of the province. It is approximately 10 minutes from downtown Tacloban City and is accessible by passenger jeepney, bus, motorcab or private vehicle. The bridge has 43 spans and medium size boats can pass beneath its large main arch the top of which rises 41 meters above the sea.[1] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullioz Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Yeah, I saw on facebook Josh posted that they're headed to Samar Island. Looks like the logical choice. While Samar is a logical choice, it will also be a dangerous one especially if the devastation compares to that of Bopha. They need to prepare for several days without access to transportation, power, food, shelter, and water. It took me four days to reach Baganga following Bophia and even then the normal 5 hour trip took over 12. They will need to find a very sturdy building. Not sure what town they will reside in, but if they are anywhere near the coast it will be high risk. In both Baganga and Cateel there was not a single structure that did not sustain severe damage. All wooden structures and about 80% of the concrete structures were totally destroyed. Here is a link to a thread I started a couple of weeks following that typhoon. http://www.americanwx.com/bb/index.php/topic/38357-a-few-pictures-from-baganga-mindanao/ The Eastern side of Samar Island is less developed than Eastern Mindanao so I would expect the scenes and situation to be equal to or worse than the aftermath of Bopha. The people there will be extremely desperate after a day or two. When I first arrived in Baganga our vehicle was immediately swamped by people wanting relief supplies and when entering and leaving the area you have to deal with blockades set up by both the military and the NPA. The NPA has a strong presence in Samar so they will need to be prepared to entertain them as they attempt to leave the area. They will ask for food or money if they encounter one of their road blocks. They will also have to deal with seeing a lot of suffering and death. I am not sure of their experiences in previous chases, but they will see things that they will never forget and it will be traumatic. A lot of people on here root for tropical systems to become memorable, but when you witness the aftermath and the effects they have on other peoples lives it puts things into a different perspective. Personally I would not want to be anywhere near where this typhoon makes landfall based on my experiences following Bopha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyewall Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Josh must have an amazing job that pays extremely well if he can take all the time he needs to chase and fly at the last minute halfway around the world! I must say I am a bit envious . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmeddler Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Josh must have an amazing job that pays extremely well if he can take all the time he needs to chase and fly at the last minute halfway around the world! I must say I am a bit envious . I looked it up last night, It's surprisingly cheap (for what it is), just $1,500 round trip / person. Including the puddle-jumper to TNC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icebreaker5221 Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Looks like the ECMWF has been too far north all along, 12Z run already too far north only 6 hrs in. 12Z GFS looks more realistic. I would hedge my bets for landfall south towards Leyte. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick05 Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 While Samar is a logical choice, it will also be a dangerous one especially if the devastation compares to that of Bopha. They need to prepare for several days without access to transportation, power, food, shelter, and water. It took me four days to reach Baganga following Bophia and even then the normal 5 hour trip took over 12. They will need to find a very sturdy building. Not sure what town they will reside in, but if they are anywhere near the coast it will be high risk. In both Baganga and Cateel there was not a single structure that did not sustain severe damage. All wooden structures and about 80% of the concrete structures were totally destroyed. Here is a link to a thread I started a couple of weeks following that typhoon. http://www.americanwx.com/bb/index.php/topic/38357-a-few-pictures-from-baganga-mindanao/ The Eastern side of Samar Island is less developed than Eastern Mindanao so I would expect the scenes and situation to be equal to or worse than the aftermath of Bopha. The people there will be extremely desperate after a day or two. When I first arrived in Baganga our vehicle was immediately swamped by people wanting relief supplies and when entering and leaving the area you have to deal with blockades set up by both the military and the NPA. The NPA has a strong presence in Samar so they will need to be prepared to entertain them as they attempt to leave the area. They will ask for food or money if they encounter one of their road blocks. They will also have to deal with seeing a lot of suffering and death. I am not sure of their experiences in previous chases, but they will see things that they will never forget and it will be traumatic. A lot of people on here root for tropical systems to become memorable, but when you witness the aftermath and the effects they have on other peoples lives it puts things into a different perspective. Personally I would not want to be anywhere near where this typhoon makes landfall based on my experiences following Bopha. Looks like the ECMWF has been too far north all along, 12Z run already too far north only 6 hrs in. 12Z GFS looks more realistic. I would hedge my bets for landfall south towards Leyte. indeed... even the JTWC track has shifted a little bit south... if i were them, i'd rather stay in Leyte not too far from Tacloban City where they'll be landing i assume... it's a small city so they won't be isolated and it's still near the coast so they can still get good shots of winds although Samar Island will get in the way... and once it's over, they'll be in a better position if they do get stuck there for a few days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Lizard Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Veteran chaser James Reynolds speaks to ABS-CBN MANILA -- Veteran storm chaser James Reynolds sees typhoon "Yolanda" bringing in destructive winds and torrential rains as soon as it approaches the Philippines. In an interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel, Reynolds said that judging from the current speed of the typhoon, Yolanda will hit the country "fast" and "violent." "It is moving forward very quickly, so when it hits it's gonna to be an incredibly violent event for those who are in the core of the storm... It's gonna come very fast," he said. Reynolds advised residents in places that will be affected by the typhoon to stay indoors and watch out for storm surges in the coastal areas. "There is a very kind of simple rule I'd like to apply: Hide from the wind and run from the water. Keep up high above the sea and from dangerous river channels, and stay out of the wind." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyewall Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Veteran chaser James Reynolds speaks to ABS-CBN Yeah it is safe to say this will likely be a bit more than just bendy palms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apm Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Man, this looks downright terrifying: http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/floaters/31W/imagery/vis_lalo-animated.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmeddler Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Josh has arrived in Tacloban. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick05 Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 not to take anything away from them but i kinda feel scared for josh and company.. i know they're experienced and knowledgeable but we're talking about a 165kt monster and surely unlike anything they've ever seen before... i just hope they've found a very sturdy place away from the coast... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaoPos Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 how far from intercept are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott747 Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 how far from intercept are they? They were on the coast outside of Tacoblan but decided to move back further into the city, downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsentropicLift Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Is any structure really safe with 165kt sustained winds and gusts to 200kts? That's sustained EF4 winds with gusts to EF5. Even reinforced concrete would have issues at those speeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaoPos Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Is any structure really safe with 165kt sustained winds and gusts to 200kts? That's sustained EF4 winds with gusts to EF5. Even reinforced concrete would have issues at those speeds. they seemed very concerned on their FB page. Don;t blame them. That thing is a monster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Good luck Josh and James. Be careful with this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullioz Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Is any structure really safe with 165kt sustained winds and gusts to 200kts? That's sustained EF4 winds with gusts to EF5. Even reinforced concrete would have issues at those speeds. Is any structure really safe with 165kt sustained winds and gusts to 200kts? That's sustained EF4 winds with gusts to EF5. Even reinforced concrete would have issues at those speeds. they seemed very concerned on their FB page. Don;t blame them. That thing is a monster. Tacloban is sheltered somewhat with Samar Island to the East. Samar is somewhat mountainous and has some areas near 3000 feet in elevation which should reduce the wind speeds at ground level in Tacloban quite a bit. Either way the damage will still be extensive. When Bopha hit Mindanao, most of the concrete buildings were destroyed near the point of landfall, and even several miles inland. In fact for more than 40 miles inland almost every tree was snapped and the hillsides were stripped bare of foliage for as far as the eye could see. They will likely be ok since they are in the shadow of Samar Island. It would have been extremely foolish for them to try to ride this one out anywhere near the coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmeddler Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I told them if they feel safe in Tacloban to just stay there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.