Super Typhoon Neoguri erupts: Waves up to sixty feet heading towards Japan
On the 11th July 2013 Swellnet wrote an article about Super Typhoon Soulik which formed near Guam and stormed towards northern Taiwan. Soulik brought widespread destruction and large swells. At the time we were astounded at the size of the seas it generated: some readings came in at 10 metres at 16 seconds. Impressive numbers by any account.
Now, almost a year to the day later, a much larger and stronger Super Typhoon (named Neoguri) is currently moving through the Western Pacific, on track to cross the Ryukyu Islands and enter the East China Sea this evening. And the readings Neoguri is generating far exceed anything Super Typhoon Soulik produced.
At Neoguri's peak yesterday, sustained wind speeds were around 145 knots (269 km/h) with gusts up to an unprecedented 175 knots (324 km/h). While this morning Swellnet's forecast model for Okinawa, an island at the southern end of the Ryukyu chain, registered an amazing 18.6 metres at 16.8 seconds. The open ocean readings topped out at 23.7 metres. Check our WAMs image to the right, this is the largest storm anyone in the Swellnet office has seen.
Such are the movement of these typhoons, this will be a one day event with much more 'subdued' swell due through tomorrow, downwards from 7.9 metres at 12 seconds.
Neoguri is forecast to weaken rapidly once it moves into the East China Sea before tracking up and past Japan's East Coast, following the Kuroshio Current before heading off towards Russia. As it does so most locations across Japan's east and south facing shores should see fun surf from the remnants of Neoguri. We'll keep you posted on any images or videos that surface from this swell.
Comments
Sexy WAM, how low was the pressure!
Still alive Zenagain...?
Ol' Zen is at the other end of Japan. Don't think he'll see much of it - that right Zen?
This one is gonna send a lot of swell, no to mention wind, to the place BB visited last year. Hope everyone you know there is OK, BB.
Just got back from a surf-check.
Local reef clean, head high but a long wait between sets.
Got a meeting to go to then be in the water a couple of hours from now.
The swell is super south so that doesn't bode well for me size wise, around the corner in the northern Chiba it's 8ft+ and getting bigger.
Typhoon due to cross us on Thursday but by then it should have had the sting taken out of it's tail but they're still forecasting 50kt + winds and torrential rain in my area.
Okinawa is the place I'd rather not be atm, no doubt it will be all over the news tonight. Hope BB's mates fare well.
Funny, JMA have still only labelled this one 'Very Strong' in intensity. The one Craig wrote about last year was labelled 'Violent', which is obviously at the top of the scale.
Interesting.
Still, nothing beats Typhoon Wipha the one I sent photos in of last year. To this day, I have never seen a bigger swell with my own eyes.
Ah, that's because it's since weakened Zen.
With those wind speeds mentioned above it would of easily reached the Category 5 threshold for a Tropical Cyclone (sustained winds > 107kts and gusts >151kt) and been a Violent Storm.
Here's your images: https://www.swellnet.com/forums/wax/25901
Stu we are assuming at the moment that no news is good news. Our friends are pretty well set up and will board up the windows, put the goats in the garage and generally batten down. I will post whatever we hear.
Looks pretty from above.
Just got a phone call from a mate about an hour south. Not really happening there either, sets in the head to head and half range and a long wait between. Nice and clean though. I could drive north up to Fukushima where the coast bends and faces more into the south swell but when my reefie (Ibaraki trestles- you know the place Craig) is head high, peeling off and only 3 out in the water, why waste the fuel?
BB, all the best to your friends. Hope they stay safe.
I've been to ibaraki. From memory, I had the best miso soup ever; my gf went to a pet cemetery; and surprised an oyaji who then spat his noodles out.
Ahhhh yes Mitch. Beautiful Ibaraki.
Mito City, the Paris of Japan;)
Indeed I do Zen, wouldn't leave that if it were breaking with hardly anyone out. Go and get amonst it!
Amazing storm factory that tropical north-west pacific ....if we only got a fraction of their storms
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=730967723637552
Some video from yesterday in Okinawa
sheeez, BWWT stuff.
That's insane, Japan's Cloudbreak!!!
fukin how big is that wave!!!!!
That's an inspirational avatar you've got there Coopers. Impressive video too. Remember when Hawaii was the only legitimate big wave arena ? It's probably still the undisputed king but there are so many BIG waves out there...not that I ever want to encounter a proper BIG wave. Ten foot max for me thanks, and just between you and me that might be a little bit generous with the old poetic licence .
f$%^^$#%^&**^$E missing it. Had to go to Europe for a couple of weeks. Timing = impeccable. F!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow ..I wonder what Nyodo Rivermouth is like??
Incredible images of Neoguri from Alexander Gerst on the International Space Station.
Tweets by Astro_Alex
The eye is/was 65ks wide
How'd you go Zen? Get any bigger stuff?
Here's some shots of the swell across the region from Insta
https://instagram.com/13degrees
https://instagram.com/akitokomuku
https://instagram.com/hayatomaki
https://instagram.com/lankapark
https://instagram.com/hayatomaki
https://instagram.com/hayatomaki
https://instagram.com/paddle2104
https://instagram.com/paddle2104
https://instagram.com/anand4mide
https://instagram.com/californiiyan
I wish Craig.
Bit of a non-event up my way. Swell too south to give us anything meaningful.
Got a clean head-high sesh at local reef but super long period and very inconsistent.
Spent the last couple of days surfing a little breakwall up north a bit. Kinda like a reverse D-bah off the wall set-up. Fun but nothing to rave about. Water freezing again.
Ah bugger, you'd be glad to know I got some epic snow up at Thredbo over the weekend, one of the best years for ages people are talking.
Photos up on the site tomorrow, ps new board goes amazing especially in the powder!
Sweet man, that makes me really happy to hear that. Yeah, been following the Oz reports but when I checked that a day pass to Perisher was $124, it would really have to be epic.
If you're back here for snow (or a surf for that matter) you know where to find me. Looking forward to the pics.
If ya book early (1 week) it's $100 up Thredbo, but $124 is crazy isn't it, 1/3rd the price over your way.
And definitely back again early next year, will hit you up for sure.
Hey Craig theres a new swell bouy link its at mandurah wa with direction . Very interesting for swellbouy enthusiasts
Nice, yeah I think I spotted it on the website a couple of weeks ago. Get waves in over the weekend? Looked like the whole state was pumping!
Yeah Craig sat got a cuple and again this next high