Severe Typhoon Chi Wai



Severe Typhoon Chi Wai (Traditional Chinese: 強颱風志偉) was a rare Category 3 hurricane (severe typhoon) that affected parts of Lovia on August 27, 2012. The name Chi Wai was supplied by the Imaginary Lands of Nicholas, and is a part of the 2012 Imaginary Lands of Nicholas Typhoon Season.

The storm brought devastating damages to Lovia, particularly to the states of Sylvania and  Clymene, where Chi Wai made a direct hit and passed through these states.

Meteorological History
On 24 August, 2012, a tropical wave off Baja California in Mexico was formed with a series of heavy thundershowers and squalls. On 05:30, the National Meteorology Bureau of the Imaginary Lands of Nicholas (NMBILN) issued an advisory denoting a 60% (Medium) chance of the tropical wave to become a tropical cyclone. And due to favourable conditions, the wave quickly developed, prompting NMBILN to amend its advisory to 90% (High) chance of becoming a tropical wave.

Indeed, at 16:00 of the 24th, the wave has demonstrated tropical cyclone characteristics. The NMBILN has assigned the wave a tropical depression, numbering it 006.

The tropical depression went through a moderate deepening, and became a tropical storm early on the 25th, and a severe tropical storm by the evening hours of the same day. The NMBILN named it "Chi Wai" (Chinese: 志偉), and projected it to move west-northwest. At this time, the High in the Sky Forecasting has predicted that then-severe tropical storm Chi Wai would pass through the southern parts of Lovia, urging citizens to be prepared for such an event. The NMBILN has also issued a similar forecast, projecting Chi Wai to pass through just north of Noble City.

The deepening of the storm allowed it to intensify into a Category 1 Hurricane (typhoon) in the early morning hours of 26th August.

The storm moved through Lovia on the 27th August, crossing Peace Island, Truth Island, and Asian Island, before heading back into the waters of the Pacific Ocean. It continued to move west-northwest, affecting onshore cities, including City of Watersauga of the Imaginary Lands of Nicholas beginning on the 29th August.

On the 30th August, it was only about 350 km away from the country's capital, prompting the locale to close off the city and evacuate.

Typhoon Chi Wai was at peak strength of Category 3 at noon of the 30th August, before weakening due to a transfer of energy of the Fujiwhara Effect to Typhoon Maple later the day. It took a cyclonic loop as a severe tropical storm, co-ordinating with Typhoon Maple, moving east-southeast. At one point, forecasters thought it might make a return to Lovia, but on the 3rd September, Chi Wai took a northwesterly turn, strengthening again as a typhoon, and aiming 200 km to Nicholas City.

Chi Wai became slow-moving just south of the shores, but making landfall midnight on 7th September, some 600 km west of Nicholas City, near Free State of Torbury before weakening and dissipating inland.

Effect in Lovia
Though an unofficial agency to issue weather warnings in Lovia, but the NMBILN has nonetheless issued a Hurricane Watch to the entire Lovian state. As Typhoon Chi Wai approaches, it becomes more apparent that Chi Wai will make landfall on the Lovia Archipelago. The NMBILN upgraded the Hurricane Watch to a Hurricane Warning for Sylvania,  Clymene, and  Oceana. The Hurricane Watch remained in place for the rest of the nation.

The outer rain shower bands began to reach Oceana in the late evening hours of 26th August, as winds begin to intensify across Lovia. Strong winds (over 41 km/h) was recorded in the evening hours in Hurbanova, and a similar measurement was also made in  Noble City around midnight.

Typhoon Chi Wai remained to be a Category 1 strength for the early parts of the day on 27th August, as winds have really strengthened across Lovia. Strong winds are recorded in Clymene, and gale / storm-forced winds (over 62 km/h) are recorded on the windward side of the nation. In particular, Oceana Beach saw a wind gust of 110 km/h in the early morning hours of the 27th August.

Employers and the government urged residents to stay at home for the day. Major companies are closed throughout Noble City, Sylvania and Oceana, anticipating the storm's arrival.

Typhoon Chi Wai made landfall at 12:21, 27th August, 2012, some 64 km southwest of Noble City as a Category 1 typhoon. At landfall, Noble City saw hurricane force winds, clocking at 120 km/h. Many buildings in the city are not used to this type of wind speed, and thus have been damaged. Signs have been ripped off buildings flying on the streets, and at least 61 trees were fallen in the city, some hitting parked cars along the street, causing damage. One pedestrian attempting to take cover was hit by a collapsing tree, and he was later pronounced dead in Noble City General Hospital. Noble City also saw torrential heavy downpours, at 60 mm/hr. A mudslide was recorded in northwest Noble City, where it had destroyed 6 homes in a neighbourhood, displacing 15 people, and killing 4.

As Chi Wai made its way through Peace Island, through the Central Hill Land, it has slightly weakened into a severe tropical storm, with sustained wind speed at 101 km/h. At 14:09, Severe Tropical Storm Chi Wai departs from Peace Island, crossing the Central Lovian Sea. The storm has also caused storm surge of 2.6 m just off the shores of Clave Rock, and 1.9 m on Isle of London and Isle of Frisco, causing devastating damages to buildings along shore.

Chi Wai quickly made another hit on the nation's land by making a second landfall on Clymene, on Truth Island and through Sofasi, at around 15:23. Sofasi also suffered from intensive damages, but less so due to Chi Wai has slightly weakened at this point. Wind speed of 92 km/h was recorded in Downtown Sofasi, with gusts up to 122 km/h. Buildings were not sufficiently prepared for a severe tropical storm. Broken windows were reported in several buildings, as well as localized floodings near the shore areas. At least 4 were injured due to broken windows, and 3 were injured from getting hit by objects blown around by strong winds.

Chi Wai pulled out of Asian Island quickly, leaving the island and Lovian lands on 16:17. It re-strengthened into a typhoon once again that evening, and its outer bands of showers and pockets of storm-forced winds continued to batter the country the rest of the day, especially in Clymene.

In Seven, the outer bands of heavy showers has caused an overflow of creeks on the seven islands. The Clymene Creek also broke its banks momentarily as it could not handle the extra water flow. In Kings, the capitol Newhaven saw 270 mm of rain, breaking previous records. Roads and basements of building were flooded in some parts of town.

The storm has caused $6.3 million worth of damage to Lovia alone.