Super Typhoon 'Hinnamnor' as Strong as Maemi and Haishen... Tension Over Possible Korean Peninsula Landfall

Rainfall Forecast for Jeju and the Southern Coast from the 2nd
Possible Direct Impact on Domestic Areas After the 5th

Typhoon Hinnamnor's movement path as of 4 PM on the 31st. Photo by Korea Meteorological Administration website capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] As Typhoon No. 11 Hinnamnor, classified as the first super typhoon of the year, is increasingly likely to affect the Korean Peninsula, concerns about potential damage are growing. A super typhoon refers to a typhoon with maximum wind speeds of 54 m/s or higher, such as 'Maemi' (2003) and 'Haishen' (2020).

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) on the 31st, the influence of the pressure system caused by Hinnamnor is expected to manifest as predicted rainfall on Jeju Island and the southern coast on the 2nd. The National Typhoon Center forecasts that the period when the typhoon will come under direct influence is expected to be from the 5th onward.

Regarding Typhoon Hinnamnor, Woo Jin-gyu, a forecaster and analyst at the KMA, said on YTN Radio's "Wise Radio Life" on the same day, "After the typhoon goes through a stagnation period and moves northward, the expected path of the typhoon becomes clearer," adding, "It will be around this weekend that it becomes more evident whether it will head toward our country or just pass by."

As of 3 a.m. on the day, Hinnamnor was passing through the sea approximately 390 km east of Okinawa, Japan. The central pressure was 910 hPa, and the maximum wind speed was 55 m/s, developing into a 'super typhoon' stage.

Hinnamnor is moving west-southwest at a speed of 27 km/h in the sea about 250 km southeast of Okinawa. The central pressure is 915 hPa, and the radius of strong winds is 240 km. The maximum central wind speed is 55 m/s, classifying it as a 'super typhoon.'

A super typhoon is defined as having a maximum wind speed of 54 m/s or higher, strong enough to cause building collapses. Typhoons 'Maemi' (2003) and 'Haishen' (2020) are classified as super typhoons.

Analyst Woo said about the typhoon's intensity, "As of 9 a.m. this morning, the central pressure is 915 hPa, which is among the strongest forces for a typhoon," adding, "Previously, typhoons like 'Maemi' that affected our country had central pressures around 930 to 940 hPa, but this typhoon's central pressure is much lower."

The lower the central pressure, the stronger the typhoon. Analyst Woo explained, "In about 2 to 3 days, it will drop to 910 hPa," meaning "the strength will increase."

Accordingly, if Hinnamnor heads toward our country after the 5th, concerns about significant damage are emerging. However, the future path is likely to vary depending on how long Hinnamnor stagnates in the sea southwest of Okinawa and how much it is influenced by surrounding pressure systems during that stagnation.

Lee Kyung-ho, a meteorological officer at the National Typhoon Center, said, "What we can currently observe is how long it will stagnate and how much the high-pressure systems over China or the Northwest Pacific will develop during that stagnation," adding, "For Hinnamnor to move northward, there needs to be a pressure trough coming down from the northwest to guide it, but there are too many variables such as the strength and speed of this trough's movement. Therefore, at this point, we are considering all possibilities, including landfall inland in our country."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.