Pacific Typhoons stronger than Atlantic Hurricanes?

[rob8303]

I'm just curious. I was watching CNN today and they had a little piece on Typhoon Imbudo and how strong it was, down to 115 mph now but had been down to 931 mb earlier. That is a extremely intense landfalling storm. It seems like Atlantic Hurricanes are usually less intense (take Claudette, Bonnie in '98, Danny in '99, Danny earlier this year). Is it just that the Atlantic is going through a period of relatively weak tropical cyclones or do pacific storms really pack more of a punch? I'm not arguing at all that they do. It just raises a little question in my mind.

[Stormsfury]

Yes, Western Pacific Typhoons are stronger due to many factors ... the monsoon trough is a much more active player, environmental pressures are lower, and SST's stay warm there all year round --- their typhoon season never ends ... In fact, the WPAC averages 20 storms a year, and may average 4 supertyphoons a year ...

Typhoon Tip, 1979, was 1100 miles wide, and holds the world record for lowest barometric pressure reading of 870 mb (25.69") ... and packed winds of 165kts (190 mph) at one time as well ...

SF

[Lindaloo]

I saw the footage of it too this evening. I felt sorry for those people. Lots of damage and a long time recovering.

Everybody may think I am nuts, but I like the anticipation of it coming my way. But when reality sets in and it shows up I wished that it had gone another way. When the morning comes and the damage is done and we go without electricity for days, no toilets, no water pressure plus it is HOT AS HECK with no A/C I feel nothing but pure disgust and dread.

But on the otherhand... you get closer to your neighbors. Everybody cooks outside and gathers around a car battery powered TV or listens to the radio and talks. Neighbors watching out for neighbors and THEN the electricity comes on and we forget about each other til the next one. lol.

[rob8303]

Lindaloo, I love hearing about people's personal experiences. You mind telling me about the hurricanes you've been through. Have you ever been through a hurricane that the national media has covered 24/7, a la Andrew, Floyd?

[mf_dolphin]

Pacific typhoons have a much longer time over water than hurricanes. Also there aren't any real landmasses to weaken them like Hispanola etc. I sat through several typhoons while stationed on Guam in the mid-70's. That's where I got hooked into being a hurricane nut

[Lindaloo]

rob... I have been through Camille in '69... Frederic in '79... Elena in '85... and Georges in '98. I was young during Camille so I trusted my parents on that one, Frederic too. lol. Elena is what helped me choose a career and I went to work for an insurance company (Allstate) and they sent me to school to become an insurance adjuster. I enjoyed helping people until the insurance companies became greedy. I changed jobs in 2000.

During Camille, some friends took shelter at an apartment complex called Blue Lake Manor at the time. One of them told me they went to the third level to the game room to shoot pool when the balls started rolling back and forth on the table. Then they could feel the floor moving and they could hear glass shattering on the fourth level. They all made their way down the stairs and they could feel the walls swaying. They made it through it, as well as the building. Blue Lake Manor now houses the military. (NAVY). The building is made out of cylinder blocks that are cemented together. Checking out the history of that building, it has hurricane straps embedded in the cement. That explains why the building was swaying and did not collapse.