The Clearer It Gets, the Scarier It Is! Seeing Lanyu, Yonaguni Island from Taiwan — Taitung Locals Know: Typhoon Bavi Is Coming

"People in Taitung say, 'If you can see Lanyu, a typhoon is coming!'"

Powerful Typhoon Bavi is intensifying as it approaches, expected to pass through the northeastern waters of Taiwan on the 11th. The most severe impacts on Taiwan will occur from the evening of the 10th to the morning of the 11th. Satellite cloud images show that Bavi has a highly organized and mature structure, with a clearly defined eye, prompting Taiwan to remain on high alert.

On Threads, users across Taiwan have been posting photos showing that from Taitung, the offshore islands of Green Island and Lanyu are now clearly visible. Not only that, but people in Taiwan can see Japan's Yonaguni Island, while from Yonaguni Island, Taiwan's Central Mountain Range is visible. Even from Lanyu, the Philippine islands of Yami Island and Beigan Island can be seen.

Users report that elders in Taitung have long said, 'When you can see Lanyu clearly, a typhoon is approaching.' This wisdom, accumulated through lived experience, actually has scientific backing: subsidence airflow outside the typhoon's rain bands clears the atmosphere, reducing cloud cover and significantly improving visibility.

Subsidence Airflow Boosts Visibility — Japan and the Philippines Now Visible to the Naked Eye

A user in Taitung posted a photo on Threads showing both Green Island and Lanyu clearly visible over the sea, demonstrating exceptional clarity. Others have shared images of Taiwan's main island taken from Lanyu and views of Yonaguni Island.

Photos taken from Yonaguni Island toward Taiwan clearly show the majestic Central Mountain Range. On the 6th, the Facebook fan page 'Lanyu Weather Station' noted that sea visibility was excellent, with Yami Island and Beigan Island in the Philippines visible to the naked eye from Lanyu.

Urban Legend? Elders' Wisdom Has Scientific Basis

These images have amazed netizens and confirmed the 'typhoon wisdom' passed down by Taitung elders: when Green Island and Lanyu are clearly visible from Taitung, a typhoon is near. According to experts and data from Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration, the area outside a typhoon's rain zone is typically a subsidence zone, where air sinks, skies clear, and visibility increases.

Typhoon Bavi's strong structure and clear eye have Taiwan on high alert. On the 9th, Taiwan's Central Weather Administration reported that Bavi's storm radius reached 380 kilometers. If the typhoon's speed and path remain unchanged, a sea warning was issued at 2:30 PM on the 9th, followed by a land warning in the early hours of the 10th. However, as Bavi approaches Taiwan, it may slightly weaken and its storm radius could shrink, so the land warning area remains under observation.

Near Strong Typhoon to Upper Medium Typhoon Strength — Bavi to Impact Taiwan on the Evening of the 10th

Meteorologist Lin Bo-Dong from the Central Weather Administration stated that Bavi will continue moving northwest at 15 to 20 km/h, passing through the northern waters of Taiwan. It will affect Taiwan at the lower end of a strong typhoon or upper end of a medium typhoon in intensity.

Latest track of Typhoon Bavi. (Image: Screenshot from CWA official website)

The CWA reported that Bavi's central pressure is 915 hPa, with maximum sustained winds near the center at 53 m/s. The average radius of 7-level winds is 380 km, and the 10-level wind radius is 180 km. The most intense impacts will occur from the evening of the 10th to the 11th. Northern regions and mountainous areas in Yilan will face heavy to torrential rains on the 10th. From the evening of the 10th to the daytime of the 11th, heavy or torrential rains are likely across the island, with northern, central, and eastern mountainous areas possibly experiencing rainfall at or above the torrential level.

Regarding wind, Lin Bo-Dong noted that coastal areas will experience gusts of 8 to 10 levels on the 10th. From the evening of the 10th to the daytime of the 11th, coastal regions may see strong gusts of 10 to 11 levels. Areas north of Taoyuan, Yilan, Matsu, Lanyu, and Green Island may experience gusts exceeding level 12, expected to gradually weaken by the evening of the 11th.

Authorities urge residents to prepare for the typhoon and avoid mountainous and coastal areas during the storm to prevent danger.