Satellite images of Typhoon Hagibis. Image: : University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Typhoon Hagibis intensifies threatening RWC and F1 Grand Prix
Typhoon Hagibis is strengthening as it heads towards Japan where it is expected to make landfall on the weekend and play havoc with the Rugby World Cup and Formula 1.
Satellite images of Typhoon Hagibis. Image: : University of Wisconsin – Madison.
The Japanese Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Rugby World Cup clash between Ireland and Samoa are threatened by Typhoon Hagibis.
The storm system has intensified in the last 24 hours leading to fears that the major sporting events might have to be cancelled. More pressing though than the sporting events is the high likelihood of loss of life and extensive damage to property the storm could cause.
Because the inner eyewall of the Category 5 Super Typhoon Hagibis is now collapsing, due to an eyewall replacement cycle the system is expected to weaken for a time before once again intensifying.
Typhoon Hagibis strenghtening at an alarming rate
Forecasters are warning the monster storm could become the strongest storm on record after it reached super typhoon status on Tuesday.
The super typhoon brings with it 150 mph (approx 241 kmph) winds with gusts reaching 195mph (313 kmph). The storm is expected to hit Southern Japan on Saturday. Hagibis is currently the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir Simpson Wind Scale. The Typhoon has already hit Guam and is expected to blow through the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Saipan, Tinian, Alamagan and Pagan islands have all received a storm warning while the storm struck the island of Guam on Tuesday.
The storm has intensified rapidly with Philip Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University tweeting in reaction:
“This is the most intensification by a tropical cyclone in the western North Pacific in 18 hours since Yates in 1996.”
Rugby World Cup and Formula 1 under threat
Hagibis is expected to gradually weaken before it making landfall on Japan’s Kyushu Island over the weekend.
The city of Fukuoka, where Ireland are scheduled to play Samoa on Saturday is squarely in the predicted path of the Super Typhoon Hagibis.
The Japanese Grand Prix is staged at Suzuka which is located on Honshū, the largest and most populous of Japan’s islands.
Ireland could be eliminated from the Rugby World Cup if Typhoon Hagibis causes their match against Samoa to be called off.
Meteorologist Steffen Dietz, who used to be contracted to Formula 1, believes the storm is extremely likely to impact the running of the Japanese Grand Prix in some way.
“Generally the system will weaken significantly before reaching Japan, but it will stay powerful,” Dietz Tweeted.
“Today models see a slightly faster propagation, so main impact on #F1 could be already on Saturday.”
Japan’s National Weather Service said it cannot, at this stage, determine which parts of the country will be impacted this weekend.
The agency would say that areas from the Ryukyu Islands, including Okinawa, to the main islands of Japan should monitor the forecasts closely.
The NWS added: “We also can’t rule out at least peripheral impacts in northern Taiwan, eastern China or South Korea from Hagibis.”
