HurricaneJosh Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 Awesome loop, James-- thanks!We got totally nailed-- hard. James and I are both veteran chasers, and we were both like WTF when the inner core passed over the island. It was very severe. The action was intense in the late afternoon, but then late at night, after the power went out and we couldn't really film anymore, it cranked to a ferocious level. Our hotel being right on the open coast, with the wind coming off the water and racing down parallel city streets, might have had something to do with it. But it was just wild-- shrill, screaming winds.I was expecting chinacanes to be loose and just kind of blah. This one was a hawt, angry chinacane-- really had a weird edge to it.Houses, buildings, signs, and power poles here are all built very sturdy, so you don't see a lot of flying debris-- but the cars in the adjacent parking lot being shoved together like toys was a good indicator of how strong those winds got.We didn't quite get into the eye, but I believe we've been clipping it as we've skated along the S eyewall these past couple of hours. We never had calms, but we had 15-minute periods where the wind seemed to really easy off... Like right now.This first chinacane chase was a smash-- I'm just thrilled I came here to do this. I feel like I've opened a whole new world.P.S. We have to somehow get back to OKA tomorrow because the next typhoon should hit there Monday. Just crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyewall2005 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 This is great Josh glad u made the trip to were real cyclones form. Atlantic = garbage Ps! Look forward to the vid coverage.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick05 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 glad you're enjoying it! anyway, looks like you should think about heading to one of the islands in Amami (north of Okinawa)... not sure if James has chased there before but they seem to be pretty inhabited; the biggest--Amami Oshima--has about 75k pop... then again, what does a guy in a computer thousands of miles out know, lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superstorm93 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Danas is getting primed to explode... Extremely jealous Josh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongBeachSurfFreak Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 That is some insane ventalation. At least we have the WPAC!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyewall Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Josh what would you say your max speeds were with Fitow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cory Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmeddler Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Uber tight core on Danas: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Bobby Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Sounds f'n great, Josh and James! Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurricaneJosh Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 We're going to chase Danas if we can get back to OKA in time today, and then hop on another flight to Amami or Tokunoshima in time. Gonna be close. Here's what happened next to our hotel late last night while we were getting fully raked by Typhoon Fitow's SW eyewall. These cars were not nudged gently-- they were shoved hard, as they're all dented, with broken windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmeddler Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 http://flightaware.com/live/airport/ROMY <- Flights off the island. The problem is that the winds right now are 32ktsG44kts at 190 degrees. Which is at about a 40 degree cross wind to the single runway. You can take off or land in those winds, if they were pointing up the runway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurricaneJosh Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 We're going to chase Danas if we can get back to OKA in time today, and then hop on another flight to Amami or Tokunoshima in time. Gonna be close. Here's what happened next to our hotel late last night while we were getting fully raked by Typhoon Fitow's SW eyewall. These cars were not nudged gently-- they were shoved hard, as they're all dented, with broken windows. image.jpg Bumping this post to the new page, since it's kinda cool. We're at MMY and our flight back to OKA is only delayed about an hour! The Japanese really take typhoons in stride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mob1 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Bumping this post to the new page, since it's kinda cool. We're at MMY and our flight back to OKA is only delayed about an hour! The Japanese really take typhoons in stride. Impressive! Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Typhoon Hunter Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 We got raked hard last night, to be honest it was cranking much harder than we were expecting. It's a shame the power failed before the peak winds hit but it was awesome to be able to get some daylight shots of the build up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mob1 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 We got raked hard last night, to be honest it was cranking much harder than we were expecting. It's a shame the power failed before the peak winds hit but it was awesome to be able to get some daylight shots of the build up!Nice!! Did you take any video at night just to hear to roar of the wind? I know it's super geeky but it would probably give some perspective to how intense it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torchageddon Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Bumping this post to the new page, since it's kinda cool. We're at MMY and our flight back to OKA is only delayed about an hour! The Japanese really take typhoons in stride. That's awesome! Congrats on the success and us all deserve this after what 2013 has become. Hopefully Danas will be explosively intensifying as it hits you guys directly during daylight . It appears to be already doing this so good luck! Nice!! Did you take any video at night just to hear to roar of the wind? I know it's super geeky but it would probably give some perspective to how intense it was. I was going to ask the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil882 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Its funny that Fitow and Danas have about the same size cirrus canopy considering that Fitow started out twice, maybe three times the size as Danas. Fitow is now all eyewall, while Danas still has some structural changes to undergo (its currently in an ERC from its very small eye its been showing today to something more typical for TCs in the 10-20 nm range. Once Danas completes its ERC I'd still expect to see a period of RI making it stronger in terms of maximum wind speed than Fitow ever was. Since it doesn't have a huge moisture envelope with associated rainbands like Fitow did, it shouldn't be surprising to see Danas intensify more quickly over the next 24 hours. That is assuming the outflow from Fitow doesn't interfere, which thus far its been keeping a safe enough distance away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowtie` Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Bumping this post to the new page, since it's kinda cool. We're at MMY and our flight back to OKA is only delayed about an hour! The Japanese really take typhoons in stride. If you ever get a chance it would be great to hear your thoughts on the different cultures and nations concerning cyclone/hurricane preparation. Seeing how you have been in Japan, Mexico, US, Canada and the Carribean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Typhoon Hunter Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Thanks for the analysis as always Phil, it would be quite a stroke of luck if we can grab two eyewalls of two different storms in two consecutive days! Certainly the broader eye will help our cause if this looks like taking a track just off the NE tip of Okinawa. Bowtie, we've been discussing this a lot and it's a very interesting topic for us. I've never covered a hurricane before, this year I was all geared up to give it a shot but nature hasn't cooperated. The southern Japanese islands are the most cyclone hardened area in the world and the locals don't fret too much when a strong typhoon approaches. Usually the power stays on enough to be able to work at night - having said that Fitow was the first typhoon in a long time that killed power to my hotel meaning I couldn't upload footage immediately! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apm Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Well Josh, what a call (to venture out West) this is turning out to be. Danas looks spectacular. Good luck to you and James. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil882 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Feeling pretty good about my call . Hopefully it can stay on the save heading for Josh and James! It going to be increasingly moving more poleward but if it can stay 290-310 you guys still are in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhb Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloWeather Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Beauty. Whats the strength of this? Looks incredible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superstorm93 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 So hot. Up to 105 knots EDIT: ADT supports 115 knots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil882 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I think we are probably seeing this peak in the next 12 hours in the 120-130 knot range... JWTC has had to play catch up the entire time (shocker) with this system. If Josh and James do get a direct hit, they are sure going to have some fun times with this one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Lizard Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I like uploading loops of good looking storms... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbourton Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I'm glad they are over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amped Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 One of the best looking storms I've seen all year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil882 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Here we go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick05 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Minami-Daito, which is roughly 80mi nne of Danas, is reporting 42mph easterly winds and 998hPa pressure.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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