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Super Typhoon Hagibis in the West Pacific Ocean

By Scott Bachmeier •

Himawari-i8

Himawari-8 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.4 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

JMA Himawari-8 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.4 µm) images (above) showed the pinhole eye of Super Typhoon Hagibis as it rapidly intensified to a Category 5 storm (ADT | SATCON) by 12 UTC on 07 October 2019. Hagibis exhibited some trochoidal motion and variations in forward speed as it approached the Northern Mariana Islands, eventually moving just south of the small uninhabited island of Anatahan (north of Saipan, station identifier PGSN) around 15 UTC.

A toggle between VIIRS Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images from NOAA-20 and Suomi NPP (below) showed the eye just west of Anatahan.

VIIRS Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images from NOAA-20 and Suomi NPP (credit: William Straka, CIMSS) [click to enlarge]

VIIRS Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images from NOAA-20 and Suomi NPP (credit: William Straka, CIMSS) [click to enlarge]

During the period 06 October/2014 UTC to 07 October/0714 UTC, Himawari-8 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images (below) showed the initial period of rapid intensification, during which Hagibis developed a well-defined pinhole eye.

Himawari-8 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

Himawari-8 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

Hagibis was moving over warm West Pacific water with high values of Sea Surface Temperature and Ocean Heat Content — the storm was also moving through an environment characterized by low deep-layer wind shear.

===== 08 October Update =====

Himawari-8 "Clean" Infrared Window (10.4 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

Himawari-8 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.4 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

2.5-minute rapid scan Himawari-8 Infrared images (above) showed Hagibis during an eyewall replacement cycle (erosion of the small inner eye, with the subsequent formation of a larger-diameter eye). The small inner eyewall could be seen rotating within the larger eye as this transition was taking place. Once the eyewall replacement cycle was completed, Hagibis re-intensified to a Category 5 storm at 18 UTC.

VIIRS Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images from Suomi NPP and NOAA-20 (below) displayed the eye and eyewall region of the Category 4 storm.

VIIRS Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images from Suomi NPP and NOAA-20 [click to enlarge]

VIIRS Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images from Suomi NPP and NOAA-20 (courtesy of William Straka, CIMSS) [click to enlarge]

A toggle between VIIRS Day/Night Band (0.7 µm) and Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images at 1556 UTC (below) provided a nighttime view of Hagibis.

VIIRS Day/Night Band (0.7 µm ) and Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images at 1556 UTC [click to enlarge]

VIIRS Day/Night Band (0.7 µm) and Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images at 1556 UTC (courtesy of William Straka, CIMSS) [click to enlarge]

Categories: Himawari-8, NOAA-20, Suomi NPP, Tropical cyclones, VIIRS