Typhoon Herb

Typhoon Herb roared across northern Taiwan resulting in the loss of many lives
and damage to property due to high winds, flooding, and landslides. Researchers
are using advanced computer models and high resolution radar data to study this
complex and deadly storm system. This visualization shows a comparison between
the observed and model data.On July 31, 1996 Typhoon Herb roared across
Northern Taiwan resulting in the loss of many lives and damage to property due
to high winds, flooding, and landslides. One of the locations receiving heavy
damage was the WSR-88D radar facility located at the Northern tip of Taiwan, 30
KM east northeast of Taipei. The facility, operated by Taiwan's Central Weather
Bureau, collected reflectivity and velocity data as the Typhoon approached and
was forced to shut down as the eye of the storm grew closer and the threat of
water damage to the radar electronics increased. Eight hours after the facility
shut down, high winds ripped the fiber glass panels from the radar
instrumentation and flung them down the hillside. Doppler Radar analysis of the
storm showed peak wind speeds of 82 m/s at the 1 km level. Below we show a
comparison between observed data collected by the Radar installation before it
was shut down and MM5 model data generated by researchers at the National
Center for Atmospheric Research. One of the unique characteristics of Typhoon
Herb is its elliptical shaped eye.