Typhoon Warning For Thailand - Storm Muifa

[Boh Bpen Yang]

I'm in Samui now. Muifa is knocking on the door. At this point there isn't much wind and surprisingly not much rain. We are about 1 hour out from the center (tallest clouds on the Sat Jpg). I am just now begining to hear thunder.

Hope it doesn't drop a lot of water the way erosion is here.

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/WPAC/2...ull/Latest.html

Oh well

Boh Bpen Yang

[Wolfie]

Update from Phuket Island at 4.46pm

Heavy rain has just hit all parts of the Island -

Thyphoon Mui Fa we welcome you - be good!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chalong - 5:20 - what rain? you mean that pathetic excuse for a shower we just had? I've seen more water in the shower!

Mui Fa, yeah yeah, its just like low season guys, nothing special, move along please, nothing to see here

[ToeCutter]

I'm on Ko samui too - those 16 metre waves dont sound too good - think I may be taking myself, my laptop, and a couple of days worth of pringles into the mountains if anyone wants to join me I can hear it coming - oh no

[george]

No full moon party as Muifa looms

KOK PHANG-NGAN: -- Tourists hoping to attend the famous Full Moon Party on Thailand's southern Koh Phang-ngan, or Phang-ngan Island, will have to content themselves with less riotous pursuits this year, amid fears that the Muifa tropical storm could cause compromise the revellers' safety.

Scheduled to take place tomorrow to coincide with the Loy Krathong festival, the party on the Hat Rin Beach has already been postponed indefinitely.

Meanwhile, 25 tourists stranded on Koh Tao have asked to travel to nearby Koh Samui in Surat Thani, from where they are scheduled to catch international flights back to their home countries.

But today Mr. Uaychai Srithong, head of the Koh Tao tambon disaster prevention centre, said that thunderstorms and 5-metre high waves were preventing any movement off the island.

In the centre of Surat Thani town, the beginning of the Muifa tropical storm was already felt this morning, with torrential rain and flooding.

Although schools were officially open, many parents opted to keep their children at home.

Mr. Tosak Wanichakhachorn, the Director of the Southeast Coastal Meteorological Centre, said that 'Muifa' was likely to storm in over the Andaman coast, and that residents and tourists currently on islands, including Phi Phi and the Similan, might have to be evacuated to safety.

The extent of the damage caused by the Muifa tropical storm will depend on how it reacts when it hits land.

The Muifa storm has already caused devastation in the Philippines.

--TNA 2004-11-25

[Ijustwannateach]

Winds are up downtown!

"Steven"

[george]

EGAT prepares emergency measures to cope with Muifa strom

BANGKOK, Nov 25 (TNA) - The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) today put its maintenance workers on 24-hour standby to repair lines brought down by the 'Muifa' tropical storm, but admitted that the strong wind was likely to cause power cuts.

Mr. Khamphui Jeerararuensak, senior EGAT manager for distribution, admitted this morning that the storm could force the closure of gas fields in the Gulf of Thailand, which currently provide 35 percent of the country's electricity needs.

However, he said that EGAT had contingency plans to switch temporarily to the use of oil and diesel to ensure continuity of power supplies.

The emergency measures would cost EGAT dear, with 13 million litres of oil and 24 million litres of diesel needed each day to provide the alternative generating power.

EGAT has estimated that this would push up generating costs by as much as Bt500 million per day.

Mr. Khampui conceded, however, that the tropical storm was likely to bring down power lines, causing power cuts in certain areas.

Maintenance officials are now on 24-hour standby to repair lines, with helicopters and other equipment at the ready, but temporary power cuts can be expected.

--TNA 2004-11-25

[DNA]

Ok, ok, I must admit, I got a little bit too excited there.......

but hey that's happening if you have to depend on Phuket cable

and CNN and FoxNews......

Currently, no winds and zero rain to report from downtown Phuket Town.

Over and out!!

[otherstuff1957]

I've got to put in my two cents here about the wave height discussion a couple of pages back. I used to sail boats up and down the California coast from Eureka down to San Diego and waves were of vital interest to me!

Waves are measured by height and by period. The waves that have the most energy are waves that are square or undersquare - that is, where the height, in feet, was equal to or greater than the period. Waves that were 15 feet high (about 4.6 meters) that passed though a given point every 15 seconds or less would be considered to be square or undersquare. Waves of that magnitude would usually have me looking for the nearest safe harbor! However, if you changed the equation just a little - say 12 foot waves every 18 seconds, the formerly brutally uncomfortable seas would suddenly seem much more pleasant. If the period is increased further, to 24 seconds, the waves will turn into a gentle groundswell.

The weather forecasters usually err on the side of caution and conditions can change rapidly from hour to hour and from area to area. It's not too unusual for two people just a shot distance from each other to have very different perceptions about a storm's severity.

[drummer]

6:28 in Koh Samui, and I've seen more waves in a swimming pool. they don't even lap over my toes. Chaewang beach is entirely deserted, though, so it was quite a pleasurable walk around. IO reckon this is what they call the 'calm before the storm' though ... heard a rumor that landfall is still a few hours away.

The streets are full of water, though, and the sewers are backing up .... (ick)

[Khun Jean]

I am safe and dry in Bangkok.

This was the perfect moment to visit my parents in law for loy kratong.

I am happy to see that the storm changed course and Samui will not be in the center. My house will be safe. Unless it changes again of course.

Glad to not have to take the change of being in the middle of a typhoon. Better to watch it from a great distance.

I already left Monday evening, had a comfortable boat trip to surat and got the train to Bangkok.

I wish everybody in the southern provinces that it will keep loosing strenght and be nothing more than a depression.

[limbos]

I am safe and dry in Bangkok.

This was the perfect moment to visit my parents in law for loy kratong.

I am happy to see that the storm changed course and Samui will not be in the center. My house will be safe. Unless it changes again of course.

Glad to not have to take the change of being in the middle of a typhoon. Better to watch it from a great distance.

I already left Monday evening, had a comfortable boat trip to surat and got the train to Bangkok.

I wish everybody in the southern provinces that it will keep loosing strenght and be nothing more than a depression.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

21.00 in Samui and it's quiet right now. Around 18.00 there was thunder, lightning, wind and rain for about 30 minutes and that was it.

Either this is the quiet lull before the storm or this was it. Than it was nothing more than an average shower with thunder and lightning.

[mouse]

21.00 in Samui and it's quiet right now. Around 18.00 there was thunder, lightning, wind and rain for about 30 minutes and that was it.

Either this is the quiet lull before the storm or this was it. Than it was nothing more than an average shower with thunder and lightning.

I think that it is still coming and that you will hear and see it at about 0200 local time. I hope I am wrong, but storms of that presence just do not disappear, especially at sea!

The one prior report about flooding without the actual rain is an indication that the pressure is changing drastically therfore I suspect that it is still out there.

Good luck to all.

[bajarider]

16 footers are measurement in face (wave as you look from shore); 8 footers maritime (from the back as you look towards land). Certainly a fun size wave for the seasoned surfer who see's nothing but ankle slappers for months at a time.

What a rush!

Hmmmm, just looked at the Weather here disc jockeys.  I see here they say waves max 16 feet high!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is damno near to a Tusanami, or Tidal Wave.  Always have a hard time spelling that one word.

Now lets see 16 feet.  Imagine two people standing one on top of another and both are 6 feet and a half tall.  This wave tops their heads my friends.

By the way trust me on this much.  That wave itself has loads of POWER behind it.  It will push your tushie faster than a surf board.  Don't play games with a WAVE that tall.

Small example, say your in the water waist high and a small wave comes on you.  Repeat small wave.  Did you ever notice how it pushes you towards the shore?????????????  Usually those waves are gentle.

Well, a 16 footer will not be gentle.  That son of a gun is going to crush you.

Daveyo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[damnaam]

Currently, no winds and zero rain to report from downtown Phuket Town....

Well, it must have been very localised then, we were at Wat Nakaram, a stones throw from Phuket City, this afternoon and it absolutely chucked it down for about an hour. I was hoping it might have helped put out the fire on Karon beachfront we saw earlier, where the efforts to fight the fire were being hampered by a lack of water. With the Andaman Sea around 50m away it seemed a shame they had no way of pumping water straight up rather than waiting for water tankers to ferry water to the site

[udon]

Hi mjcl,

pls slow down.

26 posts in 2 years....... are you bored?

[timonase]

hello, can anyone tell, if it will affect Bkk at all

thanks

[ToeCutter]

What - was that it. Was that the topical storm that passed over Ko Samui lastnight?

That was just another normal rainshower with a bit of wind in the night!!!

I'm looking at topicalstormrisk.com now which shows the system still out in the Gulf of Thailand - think the pics may be from yesterday tho? Dont tell me that was the lull before the storm

[mouse]

I will continue to update my site at http://members.cscoms.com/~mglatz until the weather system break up totally.

[lincsong]

Ummm, no. I live on Koh Tao, and there are not "hundreds" of stranded tourists, maybe a couple dozen. The storm went through last night, but was nothing to write home about, I saw that one big tree branch had fallen on a roof, otherwise only coconut palm leaves everywhere. No damage to structures, even on the waters edge. I can see the waves from a high vantage point, and they are rough, but certainly not more than any other windy day around here. I watched the news, and while the announcer was hyping it up, the pictures clearly showed people standing around with umbrellas in hand, showing that the situation was not so drastic. It's my bet that the ferries will be running from the main land again tomorrow, or the next day.

[george]

Final update:

'Muifa' weakens to depression when hitting southern coast

BANGKOK: -- A tropical storm, 'Muifa', which was expected to be a most powerful one, has weakened to be a depression when it hit Thailand's southern province of Surat Thani late last night, according to the Meteorological Department.

The 'Muifa' depression struck the province's coastal district of Ta Chana at 10:00 p.m., the weather bureau reported.

The depression was moving toward the Andaman Sea, passing through Surat Thani, Chumphon and Ranong Provinces, which would cause heavy to torrential rain, with possible flash floods and high waves in the sea, in the areas on Thursday, the Meteorological Department said.

Local residents of the provinces should closely follow updated reports on the weather conditions, the Meteorological Department warned.

"When the Muifa depression descends to the Andaman, which is expected on Thursday, Thailand will be safe from it", the Director-General of the Meteorological Department, Mr. Suparerk Tansriratanawong, told TNA.

"So far, there have been no reports of any damages or casualties in the areas affected by depression", he disclosed.

The Meteorological Department also warned Thai trawlers to refrain from sailing out to the Andaman Sea over the next couple of days due to the strong wind and high waves.

Early 'Muifa' was forecast to be as powerful as the 'Gay' typhoon, which used to widely devastate the country's southern region several years ago.

Local officials have been on high alert to help evacuate, or extend any necessary assistance to residents in the affected areas in case of emergency.

--TNA 2004-11-26

[VTR1000]

Well, that was one h-e-l-l of an anti-climax!

Yesterday the schools were closed, shops were moving their stock off the ground floors, sandbags being prepared .... and for what?

I was out last night, a beautiful night too and woke this morning to blue skies and sunshine, tropical storm hah!

Where are these meteorologists from, the Michael Fish weather forecasting school?

[udon]

Ahhh, Michael Fish, the poor bastard will go to his grave with that bad forecast.... When was it '89?

[george]

'Muifa' depression already passes Thailand

BANGKOK: -- A depression, 'Muifa', which hit Thailand's southern coastlines last night, has already moved into the Andaman Sea since this morning, making the country now be safe from a feared widespread damage, according to the Meteorological Department.

However, there were still heavy rain with possible floodings and some landslides in the affected areas, as well as hign waves in the sea, said the weather bureau in its latest statement released this morning.

Therefore, residents and trawlers in the areas should be prepared for the depression's influences, the statement cautioned.

The 'Muifa' depression hit Ta Chana District in Surat Thani Province and La Mae District in the nearby Chumphon Province late last night, causing heavy rain in the two southern districts and adjacent areas, with a brief black out in La Mae.

However, there were no reports of any casualties or serious damages.

The depression weakened from a tropical storm when it hit the affected areas.

It was then moving toward the Andaman Sea, passing through Surat Thani, Chumphon and Ranong Provinces.

"When the 'Muifa' depression descends to the Andaman Sea, which is expected on Thursday, Thailand will be safe from it", the Director-General of the Meteorological Department, Mr. Suparerk Tansriratanawong, told TNA last night.

The Meteorological Department also warned Thai trawlers to refrain from sailing out to the Andaman Sea over the next couple of days due to the strong wind and high waves.

Earlier, 'Muifa' was forecast to be as powerful as the 'Gay' typhoon, which used to widely devastate the country's southern region several years ago.

--TNA 2004-11-26[/b]

[Boh Bpen Yang]

Koh Samui the day after.

Well that was a bit anti-climactic

Not much wind, from my perspective no rough seas, and the rain was not severe for this time of year.

Nice and sunny Loy Krathong

Oh well

Boh bpen yang

[Darknight]

Maybe they could become the hub of bad weather forecasts

[meadish_sweetball]

It's raining cats, dogs, and barking deer in Chiang Mai today. Crappy Loi Krathong with no outdoors activities apart from puddle jumping available. Feel really sorry for the geezers in the parade.

[sbk]

Well, I feel for the guy who decided to abandon Samui for Bangkok as they seem to be having far worse weather than us. Bit of rain, bit of thunder, windy at times but mostly the heavy storms in the afternoons in july and august do far more damage to our place. Understand the waves were big on the northern side of the island. But, for us, it was pretty much a tempest in a teapot.

Interesting isn't it? Thai people get criticised for not freaking out and then nothing happens. Guess most naysayers will just put it down to luck rather than experience.

[lopburi3]

Well, I feel for the guy who decided to abandon Samui for Bangkok as they seem to be having far worse weather than us. Bit of rain, bit of thunder, windy at times but mostly the heavy storms in the afternoons in july and august do far more damage to our place. Understand the waves were big on the northern side of the island. But, for us, it was pretty much a tempest in a teapot.

Interesting isn't it? Thai people get criticised  for not freaking out and then nothing happens. Guess most naysayers will just put it down to luck rather than experience.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can not speak for your island but here in Bangkok the sun was out all day and still nice tonight so you must be reading the same weather report that said you were going to get hit by a typhoon. Guess it was down to about 20 knots when it blew over you. But if it had hit with the computer model 65 knots things could have been a lot different.

[sbk]

Sure, but weather forecasting is a bit like astrology forecasting frankly. It's all in how you read it.

Last time I believed a weather forecaster was the guy in Denver who predicted a beautiful weekend about 3 hours before 2 feet of snow fell.

[lopburi3]

Sure, but weather forecasting is a bit like astrology forecasting frankly. It's all in how you read it.

Last time I believed a weather forecaster was the guy in Denver who predicted a beautiful weekend about 3 hours before 2 feet of snow fell.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But you have to admit that 2 feet of snow in Denver is a huge exception to the norm - usually very little there and when it does snow it melts in a few hours from most streets. Exception was last year when they really got it good.

Thing is with a typhoon you can sometimes prevent a lot of damage by clearing up the yard or covering windows. My Homestead house took 20 grand in damage just because I was in Bangkok and it did not get boarded up. Would have been much less with preparation.

Anyhow glad it was not powerful and all is well on your island.