TAIWAN –Super Typhoon Meranti is expected to impact Taiwan over the next 24 to 36 hours. The category four hurricane strengthened in to a category five and is now considered a super typhoon. To be clear, hurricanes and typhoons are the same, they are just so named depending upon where they occur in the world. In that part of the world they are simply known as typhoons. A typhoon becomes a super typhoon when wind speeds of 150 mph or greater are reached.
Over the past 12 hours Meranti has had 150 mph sustained winds with gusts to 161 mph. The forecast over the next few hours is to strengthen to sustained winds of 160 and gusts of some 195 mph. Movement is to the west/northwest at about 11 to 12 mph, which is on track to impact the southern portion of Taiwan. Damaging, destructive winds are likely, with torrential rains of 10 to 20 inches in some areas, and life-threatening mudslides.
The image attached to this story is a satellite image of Super Typhoon Meranti from space. You can click here for more information. Get our local West Michigan forecast at www.fox17online.com/weather.
