Typhoon Sinlaku (2008)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Typhoon Sinlaku (Marce)
Type=typhoon
Year=2008
Basin=WPac
Image location=Sinlaku 10 September 2008.jpg


Formed=September 7, 2008
Dissipated=September 21, 2008
1-min winds=125
10-min winds=95
Pressure=935
Da

Fatalities=11 direct, 11 missing
Areas=Philippines, Republic of China, People's Republic of China, Japan.
Hurricane season=2008 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Sinlaku (International Designation: 0813 JTWC Designation: 15W PAGASA name: Marce) was a typhoon which affected the Philippines, Taiwan, China and Japan. It was recognised as the 13th named storm and the ninth typhoon of the 2008 Pacific typhoon season by the Japan Meteorological Agency who are the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre for the North Western Pacific. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center also recognised Sinlaku as the Tenth typhoon, 14th tropical storm, and the 15th tropical depression of the 2008 Pacific typhoon season.

The name Sinlaku was one of the ten original names submitted to the WMOs Typhoon Committee for use from January 1 2000 by Micronesia. It was last used in the 2002 Pacific typhoon season to name a tropical storm and is the name of a goddess worshipped on the island of Kosrae in Micronesia. cite web|url=http://www.hko.gov.hk/informtc/sound/tc_pronunciatione.htm|publisher=HKO|title=The meaning of new tropical cyclone names in 2004|accessdate=2008-09-10]

Meteorological history

On September 7 2008, a tropical disturbance formed to the northeast of Manila in the Philippines.cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/GuamStuff/2008090714-ABPW.PGTW|publisher=JTWC|title=ABPW10 PGTW 07-09-08|accessdate=2008-09-10] It was initially forecasted not to intensify into a tropical depression within 24 hours. However it was upgraded to a tropical depression early the next morning with both PAGASA & the JMA designating it as a minor tropical depression with PAGASA naming the depression as Marce. cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/Tokyo/2008090800.RJTD|publisher=JMA|title=JMA Advisory 07-09-08 00Z|accessdate=2008-09-10] cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5affuq9NV|publisher=PAGASA|title=PAGASA Advisory 07-09-08 03Z|accessdate=2008-09-10] Meanwhile the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the developing depression. cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/GuamStuff/2008090804-WTPN.PGTW|publisher=JTWC|title=Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert|accessdate=2008-09-10] Later that day PAGASA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm whilst the JMA started to issue full advisories on the depression. That afternoon the JTWC designated the depression as Tropical Depression 15W. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5ag5A7tvU|publisher=PAGASA|title=PAGASA Advisory 08-09-08 09Z|accessdate=2008-09-10] cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5ah0yqmfj|publisher=JMA|title=JMA Advisory 08-09-08 06Z|accessdate=2008-09-10] During that evening the depression had intensified into a tropical storm and was named Sinlaku by the JMA. The JTWC also upgraded the depression to a tropical storm that evening. cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/GuamStuff/2008090815-WTPN.PGTW|publisher=JTWC|title=JTWC Advisory 08-09-08 15Z|accessdate=2008-09-10] cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5ago2mcQX|publisher=JMA|title=JMA Advisory 08-09-08 18Z|accessdate=2008-09-10] cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/GuamStuff/2008090821-WTPN.PGTW|publisher=JTWC|title=JTWC Advisory 08-09-08 21Z|accessdate=2008-09-10]

Early on September 9 the JMA upgraded Sinlaku to a Severe Tropical Storm. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5ahTHC5gM|publisher=JMA|title=JMA Advisory 09-09-08 06Z|accessdate=2008-09-10] Whilst during that afternoon the JTWC reported that Sinlaku had intensified into a Typhoon, the JMA then upgraded Sinlaku to a typhoon later that day. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5aiBNURy3|publisher=JMA|title=JMA Advisory 09-09-08 18z|accessdate=2008-09-10] cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/GuamStuff/2008090915-WTPN.PGTW|publisher=JTWC|title=JTWC Advisory 09-09-08 15Z|accessdate=2008-09-10] The JTWC then reported Sinlaku had intensified into a category two typhoon. During the next day Sinlaku continued to intensify and reached its maximum 1 minute sustained winds of 125 knots which made it a Category 4 typhoon. It stayed at this intensity until the next day when it started to weaken as it went through an eye wall replacement cycle. Sinlaku then struggled to come out of its eye wall replacement cycle and as a result weakened in to a Category 3 typhoon. The weakening trend continued until on September 13 Typhoon Sinlaku made landfall on Taiwan as a Category 2 typhoon. It moved towards the North West through Taiwan and then turned towards the north east and moved back into the South China Sea and started moving slowly towards Japan.

Early on September 14, the JMA downgraded Sinlaku to a severe tropical storm. Meanwhile the JTWC were reporting that Sinlaku was a weak Category 1 typhoon. Later that day PAGASA issued their final advisory on Sinlaku as Sinlaku moved out of its area of responsibility. Late the next day the JTWC downgraded Sinlaku to a Tropical storm and then early on September 16 the JMA then downgraded Sinlaku into a tropical storm whilst Sinlaku moved closer to Japan. On September 17 Sinlaku strengthened into a severe tropical storm whilst the JTWC reported that Sinlaku had regained Typhoon strength, However later that day the JTWC downgraded sinlaku to a Tropical storm again. However early the next day the JTWC reported that Sinlaku had once again regained Typhoon intensity however the JTWC downgraded Sinlaku to a tropical storm. Early on September 20th, the JTWC issued its final advisory on Tropical Storm 15W as the storm became extratropical. Later that day the JMA, downgraded Sinlaku to a tropical storm. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5ayvL1m3o|publisher=JMA|title=JMA Advisory 20-09-08 18z|accessdate=2008-09-21] Early on September 21 the JMA downgraded Sinlaku to an extra tropical low as it moved further away from Japan. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5azRVsmYD|publisher=JMA|title=JMA Advisory 21-09-08 00z|accessdate=2008-09-21]

Preparations

Philippines

On September 8 PAGASA started to issue Public Storm warnings on Typhoon Marce (Sinlaku). Pagasa immediately hoisted Public Storm warning 1 over parts of Luzon including the Bicol, Isabela, Aurora & Cagayan Regions. Later that day PAGASA hoisted further Signal one's for otber parts of Luzon and raised the Public storm warning from No.1 to No.2 for Cagayan & Isabela cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5agQUYVmj|publisher=PAGASA|title=PAGASA Advisory 08-09-08 15Z|accessdate=2008-09-23] Early the next day PAGASA downgraded Signal No.2 to No.1 for Isabella & hoisted Signal No.2 for Babuyan as well as downgrading some of the No.1 signals for other parts of Luzon cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5ahaQoJXj|publisher=PAGASA|title=PAGASA Advisory 09-09-08 09Z|accessdate=2008-09-23] Later that day PAGASA downgraded the signal from No.2 to No.1 for Cagayan and further downgraded some of the other signals. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5aiJSQ9tC|publisher=PAGASA|title=PAGASA Advisory 09-09-08 21Z|accessdate=2008-09-23] They then kept these signals in place until late on September 10 when they downgraded the signal for Babuyan Island. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5ajvxCMsP|publisher=PAGASA|title=PAGASA Advisory 10-09-08 21Z|accessdate=2008-09-24] Late the next day they downgraded all of the signals except for Batanes Island which remained under Signal No.1, until early the next day when PAGASA removed the signal. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5alMZlfHg|publisher=PAGASA|title=PAGASA Advisory 11-09-08 21Z|accessdate=2008-09-13] cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5asrR55ST|publisher=PAGASA|title=PAGASA Advisory 12-09-08 09Z|accessdate=2008-09-13]

Taiwan

On September 10 the had to take extra precautions. cite web|url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national%20news/2008/09/12/174294/CWB-watching.htm|publisher=China Post|title=CWB watching typhoon after issuing sea warning|date=2008-09-12|accessdate=2008-09-14] Land Warnings were then issued the next morning as Sinlaku moved closer to Taiwan. cite web|url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national%20news/2008/09/13/174443/Brace-for.htm|publisher=China Post|title=Brace for the typhoon:CWB|accessdate=2008-09-14]

Japan

On September 9 the JMA started to issue Storm warnings for Naha on Okinawa and the seas south of Okinawa. cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/Tokyo/2008090903.RJTD|publisher=JMA|title=JMA WWJP81 Warning 09-09-08 03z|accessdate=2008-09-17] Later that day the JMA upgraded the storm warnings to Typhoon warnings whilst Sinlaku moved further north cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/Tokyo/2008090915.RJTD|publisher=JMA|title=JMA WWJP81 Warning 09-09-08 15z|accessdate=2008-09-17] During the next day the Joint Typhoon Warning Center raised the Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness (TCCOR) from TCCOR 4 to TCCOR 3 for Okinawa which meant that wind speeds greater than 50 knots were possible within 48 hours. cite web|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5ajkfKd1p|publisher=JTWC|title=TCCOR 3|accessdate=2008-09-10] cite web|url=http://www.kadena.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet_print.asp?fsID=13033&page=1|publisher=Kadena Air Base|title=Kadena braces for Typhoon Sinlaku|accessdate=2008-09-15] The JMA kept these issuing the typhoon warnings until September 14 when they downgraded it to a Storm warning cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/Tokyo/2008091403.RJTD|publisher=JMA|title=JMA WWJP81 Warning 14-09-08 03z|accessdate=2008-09-17] The JTWC kept the TCCOR in force until September 15 when they lowered TCCOR 3 to TCCOR 4 which meant that wind speeds greater than 50 knots were possible within 72 hours. cite web|url=http://www.kadena.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123115178|publisher=Kadena Air Base|title=Typhoon Sinlaku Update|accessdate=2008-09-15] the JMA also upgraded their storm warnings to typhoon warnings however these typhoon warnings were downgraded to storm warnings later that day cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/Tokyo/2008091503.RJTD|publisher=JMA|title=JMA WWJP81 Warning 15-09-08 03z|accessdate=2008-09-17] cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/Tokyo/2008091521.RJTD|publisher=JMA|title=JMA WWJP81 Warning 15-09-08 21z|accessdate=2008-09-17] Late on September 17 as Sinlaku moved closer to Japan the JMA added the Moji & Yokohama areas to the warnings cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/Tokyo/2008091721.RJTD|publisher=JMA|title=JMA WWJP81 Warning 17-09-08 21z|accessdate=2008-09-17] Early on September 19 the JMA added Otaru and Kushiro to the storm warnings cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/Tokyo/2008091906.RJTD|publisher=JMA|title=JMA WWJP25 Warning 19-09-08 06z|accessdate=2008-09-20] Later that day the JMA revised their storm warnings by removing the warnings for Kushiro, Moji, Naha & Otaru. cite web|url=ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/Tokyo/2008091918.RJTD|publisher=JMA|title=JMA WWJP25 Warning 19-09-08 18z|accessdate=2008-09-20]

Impact

Sinlaku brought torrential and almost endless rain over most of Luzon from September 8th to the 11th. It caused floods especially in the province of Zambales, forcing some people to evacuate.

References

2008 Pacific typhoon season buttons