View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Sunday 9 August 2009

Sunday 9 August

Sun is trying to break through the mid-level cloud - successfully so. It will be a welcome sight across the globe in China and Taiwan, where two typhoons have wrought havoc. The wind wasn't so much the problem, it was the sheer amount of rainfall. Taiwan had to stomach 2 metres (80 inches) of rain, which caused a hotel to collapse. Across the Taiwan Strait, China is getting prepared for Typhoon Morakot (read: tropical storm Morakot). A million people have been evacuated. The second typhoon (actually, little more than a tropical depression) Goni caused problems on Hainan Island, west of Hong Kong, where 14 villages had to be evacuated.

Source: BBC

Hurricane update - 9 August

Hurricane Felicia continues to head west towards Hawaii, but adverse atmospheric conditions are taking their toll on the storm. Although at present a category I hurricane, Felicia will weaken steadily on its approach to Hawaii. Nonetheless, a tropical storm watch is in force in the Big Island and Maui County, including the islands of Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai and Molokai. This means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the next 48 hours. Felicia is expected to be near or over Hawaii on Monday local time.

If you're in Hawaii, or know people there, please follow the advisories of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center closely; they are issued every 3 hours.