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Writer's pictureStephen Strum

Typhoon Yutu

Updated: Jul 24, 2020


Typhoon Yutu devastated the northern Mariana Islands early on October 25, 2018, making landfall over the island of Saipan with winds of 285 km/hr or about 180 mph. Yutu became a tropical depression on October 21st, then rapidly strengthened between the 22nd and 24th, reaching super-typhoon intensity and making landfall at peak intensity. Later in the day after landfall Yutu underwent an eyewall replacement cycle, with a new eyew all developing outside the inner one, leading to the collapse of the original eyewall and weakening of the storm. As the new eyewall took over and contracted, wind speeds increased again, though not to the levels seen prior to hitting the Mariana Islands.


Yutu was the second strongest storm to ever hit a U.S. state or territory, with only the 1935 Labor Day hurricane which struck the Florida Keys being stronger with that storm having estimated winds of 185 mph at landfall.


The video below shows the evolution of Yutu from the 22nd to the 27th of October including the eyewall replacement cycle.




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