Updated
Updated · The Weather Channel · Jul 8
Super Typhoon Bavi Regains 180-mph Strength as It Threatens Taiwan and Eastern China
Updated
Updated · The Weather Channel · Jul 8

Super Typhoon Bavi Regains 180-mph Strength as It Threatens Taiwan and Eastern China

3 articles · Updated · The Weather Channel · Jul 8

Summary

  • Bavi regained super typhoon status Tuesday and was moving west-northwest more than 500 miles southeast of Okinawa after leaving Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
  • 180-mph winds struck Rota when Bavi crossed the island at Category 5 intensity Monday; forecasters expect gradual weakening from wind shear and cooler waters, though it should remain a typhoon.
  • Widespread damage was reported across Rota, Guam and nearby islands, with downed power lines, flooded roads and 15.68 inches of rain at Guam International Airport on July 4-5.
  • Forecast tracks show Bavi nearing Japan's Sakishima Islands Friday night, brushing parts of Taiwan Saturday and reaching eastern China near Shanghai later Saturday as a tropical storm or minimal hurricane.
  • Its expanding size means a broader swath of Taiwan and eastern China could still see tropical-storm-force gusts even as peak intensity eases.

Insights

How is a warming Pacific creating a super typhoon highway aimed at East Asia's biggest economic hubs?
After two super typhoons in three months, can the U.S. island of Rota realistically be rebuilt?
Is Bavi's record power a direct consequence of the planet's hottest June ever recorded?

Super Typhoon Bavi’s 2026 Rampage: Historic Category 5 Impact, Climate Change Drivers, and Asia-Pacific’s Urgent Response

Overview

Super Typhoon Bavi emerged in early July 2026 as one of the strongest tropical cyclones in the western Pacific, posing a severe threat to Taiwan and China’s eastern coast. The storm regained super typhoon status, with its eye growing larger as it steadily intensified over exceptionally warm ocean waters. This rapid strengthening was linked to a strong El Niño event, which allowed Bavi to form farther east and spend more time over warm waters, increasing its power. As Bavi approached land, its intensity and path highlighted the growing risks of extreme weather fueled by changing climate conditions.

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