Super Typhoon (STY) 18W (Bilis*)

Verification Statistics

First Poor : 1730Z 15 Aug 00
First Fair : 0000Z 16 Aug 00
First TCFA : 0300Z 18 Aug 00
First Warning : 0600Z 18 Aug 00
Last Warning : 0000Z 24 Aug 00
Max Intensity : 140 kts, Gusts to 170 kts
Landfall : 1400Z 22 Aug 00 over Taiwan, 0300Z 23 Aug 00 over China
Total Warnings : 24
Remarks:
(1) STY 18W intensified from 90 knots at 1200Z on August 20 to 140 knots in 30 hours, just prior to making landfall over Taiwan.
(2) The center of STY 18W passed over the coast of southern Taiwan about 1400Z on August 22, then moved inland. Reports indicated 14 fatalities, 80 injured, 400 houses destroyed, and power disruption to 600,000 homes. This was the second typhoon to affect Taiwan in 2000. The island's agricultural, fishery, and forrestry industries experienced damages of $133.5 million.
(3) STY 18W made final landfall near Jinjian, Fujian province, China. The China Meteorological Administration reported 57 fatalities, 1077 wounded or missing, and economic losses of $534 million. Quanzhou recorded 220 mm (8.7 inches) of rain. Tornadoes associated with this cyclone were reported to have struck four villages near Yueqing, destroying 20 buildings and damaging at least 130 others.

* Name assigned by RSMC Tokyo

	Figure 1-18W-1. 182301Z August 2000 GMS-5 visible image of STY 18W, when the cyclone was located about 260 nm north-northwest of Yap at tropical storm intensity.

	Figure 1-18W-2. 202224Z August 2000 GMS-5 visible image of STY 18W, located about 350 nm east of Luzon, Philippines, with a developing eye and deep convection wrapped completely around the center.

	Figure 1-18W-3. 210831Z August 2000 SSMI 85 GHz image of STY 18W just prior to reaching super typhoon intensity. At this time, the cyclone is approximately 400 nm southeast of Taiwan, with concentric eyewalls and strong rainbands to the north and south.

	Figure 1-18W-4. 220831Z August 2000 GMS-5 visible image of STY 18W, located 120 nm southeast of Taiwan with a well-defined eye.

	Figure 1-18W-5. 222331Z August 2000 GMS-5 visible image of STY 18W, just prior to making landfall near Quanzhou, China.