Typhoon updates; riverman-sized (and style) TR

On Aug 22, 7:39*am, riverman wrote:
They cancelled school today since the HK government is expected to
hoist the Typhoon 8 warning within the hour. In the absence of any
African coups, earthquakes or tsunami to report on, I thought I'd keep
up my natural disaster TRs with some info on the imminent Typhoon.

Here in HK, they have a system to keep the population aware of
incoming storms. Its an artifact of the turn of the century, when
hundreds of opium ships came in and out, but wireless was not in
common use. On the top of the biggest hill on the island (a very big
hill at that), they would hoist a series of large markers that could
be seen out to sea. The original markers were denoted as 'typhoon
signal 1', 'typhoon signal 2, 'typhoon signal 3', etc up to 'typhoon
signal 10'. Soon thereafter, they were shortened to only Typhoon 1,
Typhoon 3, Typhoon 8 and Typhoon 10.

Signal 1 means that a severe storm is approaching...stay tuned.
Locally, when a T1 is issued, nothing changes (schools and businesses
are open), but people start getting prepared in case the signal
increases. When a T3 is issued, it means a typhoon is within a couple
hundred miles, and may or may not be moving toward HK. If it is
determined to potentially hit the city within a few hours, a T8 is
issued and all businesses and schools shut down, everyone goes home,
and roads are closed to private transport. If a T10 is issued, then
the storm is on your head, everything gets boxed up and people are not
even allowed to leave the buildings they are in.

Along with the T signals, there are rainfall signals. An Amber rain
means 'its coming down hard and watch to see if it gets worse'. A Red
Rain is the worst downfall you ever saw, with sheets of torrential
rain that can wash out roads. A Black Rain is like a firehose is over
your head, and hillsides and buildings get washed out. Streets
instantly flood as drainages get overwhelmed, and its not uncommon for
cars and pedestrians to get washed away.

Currently, we are under a T3, with the T8 expected in a few minutes.
Until about 5 minutes ago, it was fairly calm with unlimited
visibility, but the sea swells were throwing the big shipping vessels
around (I can an unobstructed view of the ocean from my front window).
One particular empty ship, maybe 250 feet long, was running for open
water and pitching like crazy, tossing a bow wave about 50 feet higher
than its front deck. The local weather is reporting seas to be upwards
of 20 meters (60 feet) this morning.

As I write this, the rain bands are just hitting now. Visibility just
dropped to about a mile, and the wind is starting to pick up. For now,
its no worse than any regular rain shower, with 10 mph winds and small
drops. But the storm is still 8 hours away....

Stay tuned. I'm going for a walk. :-)

--riverman

OK, just got back from my walk, and as expected they have hoisted the
T8 signal. All non-essential businesses are closed, and folks are
headed home for the unexpected 3-day weekend. There is a very cool
ominous feel to town this morning...all the bars and restaurants on
the waterfront are boxed up tight, windows taped with X's and storm
shields in place (big metal garage doors that cover the front of the
buildings). There are already sandbags framing the buildings and
directing the impending waters to the drainage ditches; tables and
benches are sandbagged to keep them from blowing away, and plants,
signs, sunshades and anything else that might get blown around is
packed up or tied down.

What makes it bizarre is that the outer rain bands are intermittent:
at this moment, its a beautiful sunny day with blue skies and no wind
at all. 10 minutes ago, it was a drizzly friday morning, with small
whitecaps being tossed around in the stiff breeze. As I look out to
sea, there is a band of whitewater about 3 miles away from a powerful
gust approaching, throwing spray up what must be 20 feet high. As the
day progresses, the open-air windows will close off, and the gusts
will join up until they form an hours-long nonstop howling maelstrom,
with sheets of torrential downpour, half-dollar sized hail, 70mph
winds, and waves 20 feet tall crashing into the breakwater in front of
my flat.

This should be fun. More in a few hours.

--riverman