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Lekima ranks 5th as the landfall typhoon in mainland China since 1949

According to meteorological assessment report of this year’s 9th typhoon Lekima released by China Meteorological Administration (CMA), Lekima is the most powerful typhoon which made landfall in China since this year, which is characterized by strong intensity, heavy precipitation and long duration. Its landfall intensity ranks fifth in national history and third in Zhejiang’s history. The rainfall intensity incurred by Lekima in Shandong ranks first in history and second in Zhejiang.

Among typhoons which made landfall in mainland China since 1949, Lekima ranked fifth in intensity (super typhoon Rammasun in 2014 ranking first, with the maximum wind speed of 72 m/s). The maximum wind speed 61.4 m/s was record in Sansuan Island in Wenling, Zhejiang, ranking second in Zhejiang.

Affected by Lekima, extreme heavy rain emerged in places like Zhejiang, Shandong, and Jiangsu. Average precipitation registers 158mm in Shandong, surpassing rainfall brought by typhoon Rumbia in 2018 (average precipitation of 135.5 mm in the whole province), and logs the maximum precipitation among weather processes in Shandong on record. Average precipitation registers 165mm in Zhejiang. And Kuocang Mountain in Linhai was exposed to 831mm precipitation. 35 meteorological observatories in Zhejiang, Shandong and other places have witnessed historic precipitation extremes in August. Among them, 19 sites have shattered historic daily precipitation extremes.

Lekima is long lasting and has exerted widespread influences when moving north. It has dwelled 44 hours on land and ranked sixth in China history. Lekima has influenced 12 provinces (municipalities) like Fujian, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, Hebei, Henan, Tianjin, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang. Over 100mm rainstorm incurred by the typhoon has covered land territories of 3.61 million square kilometers, and over 250mm rainstorm over 66 thousand square kilometers.

Typhoon track forecast error of 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours made by National Meteorological Center is 61.4 kilometers, 117 kilometers, and 161.4 kilometers respectively. 24-hour rainstorm and heavy downpour forecast and early warning accuracy during the heaviest rainfall span (from August 9 to 11) is both over 92%. (Aug. 16)

Author: Zhao Ning

Editor: Liu Shuqiao