Typhoon Sanba to Strike Okinawa and South Korea
14-Sep-12
Super Typhoon Sanba (Karen) is located about 300 nautical miles south-southeast of Kadena Airbase, Okinawa, Japan. The storm's intensity has waned slightly, with wind speeds dropping from 150 knots (Category 5) to 135 knots (Category 4) since yesterday.
The current forecast indicates that wind shear is expected to continue to increase as the storm moves north into higher latitudes, consequently beginning a weakening trend for the storm. Sanba is predicted to be a Category 3 when approaching Okinawa and a Category 2 storm when it strikes South Korea on Sunday, September 16. The wind losses are expected to be low, however, Sanba poses a significant flood risk in South Korea.
Sanba is the 16th named storm and 3rd super typhoon of the 2012 Pacific Typhoon Season. It is the 3rd storm expected to make landfall in South Korea, following Khanun (Enteng) and Tembin (Igme) this season.
Typhoon Sanba - September 14, 2012
Source: Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)
AT 1500 UTC today, September 14, Sanba was 380 nautical miles south-southeast of Okinawa, Japan (near 20.7N, 129.6E). Maximum sustained winds were 135 knots, making it a Category 4 typhoon. The storm is moving north at 11 knots and is expected to travel into an environment with increased wind shear. This will cause the storm to weaken as it moves north.
Sanba is expected to be a Category 3 storm when it approaches Okinawa and a Category 2 when it strikes South Korea. The storm is expected to weaken rapidly and move briskly overland after making landfall in South Korea.
EQECAT will continue to monitor this event and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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