All-Time Record Damage from 'Autumn Typhoons'... 'Hinnamnor' Intensified by Climate Change

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] As Typhoon Hinnamnor, the 11th typhoon of the season, is expected to make landfall on the southern coast on the 6th, it has been found that all typhoons that caused historic damage in the past share the common characteristic of being 'autumn typhoons.' Hinnamnor is maintaining very strong intensity due to climate change, putting the entire country on alert.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on the 2nd, Hinnamnor is expected to have a central pressure of 925 hPa (hectopascal) and a maximum wind speed of 51 m/s (184 km/h) at landfall. This is lower than the central pressure of typhoons that caused significant damage to Korea, such as 'Sarah' in 1959 and 'Maemi' in 2003. The lower the central pressure, the stronger the typhoon.

Sarah, which occurred on September 12, 1959, was a 'super typhoon' so strong that three days after its formation, its maximum wind speed reached 305 km/h (about 85 m/s), comparable to a high-speed train, and its central pressure was as low as 908.1 hPa when passing Miyako Island in Okinawa, Japan. It was classified as Category 5, the highest level, under the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) 'Tropical Cyclone Classification' (SSHWS).

Sarah affected Korea from September 15 to 18, 1959, making landfall on the southern coast on September 17, which was Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) that year, devastating the Yeongnam region. Due to Sarah, the number of deaths and missing persons in Korea reached 849.

In the 2000s, the typhoon with the highest casualties was 'Rusa' in August 2002. Rusa caused damage nationwide, mainly in Gangwon Province, from August 30 to September 1, 2002, resulting in 246 deaths and missing persons and 88,000 displaced people. The property damage amounted to 5.1419 trillion won, ranking first among typhoons that have affected Korea in terms of property damage.

After Rusa, 'Maemi' recorded the largest property damage. Maemi occurred in September 2003 and recorded a maximum daily wind speed of 185.5 km/h at Gosan on the 12th, which is the strongest wind ever observed due to a typhoon's influence.

Sarah, Rusa, and Maemi, which are among the top three in terms of damage, share the common characteristic of being 'autumn typhoons' that occurred in early September. According to statistics from the Korea Meteorological Administration, from 1951 to last year, 1,916 typhoons occurred, with 661 typhoons forming in July and August and 638 in September and October.

The meteorological reason why autumn typhoons are stronger is that between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox, the solar altitude near the equator in the North Pacific is high, causing very strong sunlight and the sea surface temperature to become the highest of the year. The problem is that climate change has made sea surface temperatures even hotter, affecting the influence of typhoons as well as the paths they take.

In fact, typhoons generally formed around 15 degrees north latitude, but recently, the number of typhoons forming above 15 degrees north latitude has increased. Among super typhoons with central pressure below 920 hPa, none had formed north of 25 degrees north latitude until now, but Hinnamnor is the first to break this pattern.

There is also analysis that Hinnamnor's strength could increase further. Typhoons can weaken themselves if they stay over one spot in the sea for a long time. However, Hinnamnor is expected to maintain its strength by replenishing heat energy it cannot get from the sea through hot air blowing from the Indian side.

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