Typhoon Hagupit (2008) - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

On September 14 a tropical disturbance formed to the northeast of Guam, and over the next few days it slowly developed as it moved westwards towards the Philippines. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) was the first to designate the disturbance as a tropical depression on September 17, with a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert being issued later that day by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). Late the next day the JTWC designated the depression as 18W. Early on September 19 the JMA began to issue full advisories on the depression, as it moved into PAGASA’s area of responsibility and was named Nina. Later that day both the JMA & the JTWC upgraded the depression to a tropical storm. with the JMA assigning the international name of Hagupit and the international number of 0814.

On September 20 the JMA reported that Hagupit had intensified into a severe tropical storm while PAGASA reported that Hagupit had intensified into a typhoon. However both the JMA and the JTWC did not upgrade Hagupit to a Typhoon until early the next afternoon. On September 22 the JTWC reported that Hagupit had intensified into a Category 2 typhoon, with wind speeds of 85 knots. Hagupit then continued to intensify, with the JTWC upgrading Hagupit, into a Category 3 typhoon with winds of 105 knots. Early the next day PAGASA issued its final advisory on Typhoon Nina (Hagupit) as it was moving out of PAGASA's area of responsibility. Later that day the JTWC upgraded Hagupit to a Category 4 typhoon as Hagupit was approaching southern China. Hagupit struck Kwangtung Province with this intensity, becoming the first known typhoon to hit Kwangtung province as a category 4. It moved inland afterwards, and dissipated 2 days later.