Surviving Super Typhoon Terror (Full Episode) | Gathering Storm | National Geographic

Key Concepts

• Typhoon Hagibis: A powerful and rapidly intensifying typhoon that caused significant damage in Japan and had far-reaching impacts across the Pacific.
• Rapid Intensification: A meteorological phenomenon where a tropical cyclone's wind speed increases significantly in a short period.
• Extra Tropical Cyclone: A storm that has transitioned from a tropical cyclone to a system powered by temperature differences rather than warm ocean waters.
• Bering Sea: A notoriously dangerous fishing ground known for its extreme weather conditions.
• King Crab Fishery: A high-risk, high-reward industry in Alaska that is heavily impacted by weather.
• Great Circle Route: A major shipping lane connecting Asia and North America, often traversing hazardous waters.
• Storm Surge: An abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tide.
• Fujiwhara Effect: A phenomenon where two cyclonic circulations near each other influence each other's movement and intensity.

Hagibis: A Record-Breaking Super Typhoon

Genesis and Rapid Intensification

The video chronicles the formation and devastating impact of Typhoon Hagibis, a storm that began in the Western Pacific. Lieutenant Caitlin Fine from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, describes its unusually rapid intensification. Initially a tropical storm at 50 knots on October 6th, Hagibis exploded to 150-165 knots within 24 hours, becoming a Category 5 super typhoon. This "terrifyingly rapid growth" earned it the Filipino name "Hagibis," meaning speed. At its peak, Hagibis was 950 miles across, making it one of the largest typhoons ever recorded, and the most powerful storm of the year globally.

Devastation in Japan

Forecasting models, initially showing a northward path, shifted to predict a direct hit on Tokyo, Japan, a densely populated region. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center's updated guidance indicated a "more pronounced re-curve and landfall on Tokyo." Japan issued its highest level of warning, advising one-third of its population to evacuate or move to higher floors. While Hagibis's winds de-intensified to the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane upon landfall, its immense size and the vast amount of water it carried resulted in catastrophic flooding. Some areas received three feet of rainfall in 24 hours, causing rivers to burst their banks and mudslides. The primary cause of death and destruction was flooding, leading to $15 billion in damage and 98 fatalities.

Transformation into an Extra Tropical Cyclone

After devastating Japan, Hagibis underwent a transformation. As it moved away from warm tropical waters, it became an extra tropical cyclone, powered by extreme temperature differences between hot and cold air. Caitlin Fine explains that "all the convection is displaced as it's being blown away by the jet at the upper levels of the atmosphere." This extra-tropical form was "less organized, more chaotic and much, much bigger," and was catapulted northeast by the jet stream towards the Bering Sea.

Impact on the Bering Sea and Alaskan King Crab Fleet

Hagibis's Influence on a Second Storm

The transformed Hagibis entered the jet stream and was directed towards the Aleutian chain and the Bering Sea, home to the Alaskan King Crab Fleet. The National Weather Service in Anchorage issued urgent warnings to the fleet. A critical development occurred when Hagibis, due to its immense power, "sucked in a second major storm system from Russia." This phenomenon, where two large storms come within 1,000 miles and circle each other, is a "rare phenomenon" that can "alter the tracks of both storms in a way that's dangerously unpredictable." This second storm, which would have passed safely, was now steered directly towards the crab fleet. Patrick from the National Weather Service noted, "They lucked out and missed the worst conditions yesterday, that's not going to be the case with this storm, it's going to come right across them."

The Dilemma for Fishermen

The approaching storm brought warnings of waves in excess of 40 feet and 70-knot winds. The crab boats faced a difficult choice: ride out the storm at sea, risking being rolled by massive waves, or crowd into the port of Dutch Harbor, where winds could smash their boats together. Captain of the Kari Marie stated, "With the possibility of 40 to 50 foot seas, 70 knot winds, it's just, it's not worth the risk." Dozens of boats, including the Kari Marie and Rick Shellford's "Aleutian Lady," took shelter in Dutch Harbor. Rick described the process of securing their boats: "We don't want to part any lines, we don't want to break free, we want to stay secure, safe so we can sleep at night." The risk of one boat breaking loose and destroying half the fleet was significant.

Pre-Baiting and Delayed Season

While waiting for the storm to pass, some boats, like "The Pinnacle," used the time for pre-baiting their crab pots, a task normally done en route to the fishing grounds. The king crab season opening was delayed, impacting fishermen who had already incurred costs for fuel, bait, and food and needed to fill their quotas for profitability.

US Coast Guard Preparedness

The US Coast Guard, with its asset "The Alex Haley," a powerful ex-salvage cutter, positioned itself to provide cover for any boats that opted to weather the storm at sea. Commander Benjamin Golightly explained their mission: "Search and rescue is always a mission for the coast guard and up there with the fishing fleet, a $6.4 billion industry, we're there to help protect that fishing fleet." The Alex Haley moved to Beaver Inlet to be in a strategic position to respond to potential distress calls, acknowledging they would have to "bang into some pretty heavy seas to get there." They also practiced helicopter maneuvers for search and rescue in storm conditions, recognizing that "winds over 30 to 35 knots, seas over eight to 10 feet, my ability to launch a helicopter are significantly degraded."

The Ardmore Dauntless: Navigating the Fallout

The Great Circle Route Hazard

The oil tanker "Ardmore Dauntless," carrying canola oil from Portland, Oregon, to South Korea, found itself on a route impacted by the storms stirred up by Hagibis. Despite advanced weather systems, there was "no escape from the giant seas." Captain Isaac faced waves of more than 22 feet, navigating the Great Circle Route, a major shipping lane connecting the USA with Asia. Patrick from the National Weather Service described it as "a highway on water, where you're gonna just have a lot of marine traffic and you get one of these systems coming through there with significant winds and waves, it poses an inherent hazard."

Increasing Turbulence and Historical Precedent

As the Dauntless traveled west, the waves increased, reaching up to 30 feet. The video highlights the vulnerability of ships to waves hitting their beam (side), which can lead to taking on water and sinking. The narrative draws a parallel to the 2004 disaster of the merchant ship "Selendang Ayu," which ran aground and broke apart on this same passage, with the Alex Haley rescuing 20 of its crew but losing six mariners. Benjamin from the Coast Guard emphasized the lessons learned: "Lessons from the Selendang Ayu are always in the back of your mind, just kind of showing that this could happen again."

Extreme Cold and Extended Journey

The Dauntless faced not only high winds and waves but also extreme cold temperatures, ice, and freezing waters, which could damage its cargo and render life-saving equipment useless. The ship had ten days and 2,000 miles remaining to reach safety. Captain Isaac, drawing on experience, oriented the ship to avoid beam seas and steered a more sheltered route. After 18 consecutive stormy days, the Dauntless safely delivered its cargo to South Korea.

The Aleutian Lady's Struggle and Success

Battling the Elements

Captain Rick and the crew of the "Aleutian Lady" finally set out to fish after being delayed by Hagibis. Rick described the conditions: "It's gonna be a heck of a blow with a lot of wind and a lot of waves." Upon reaching their fishing grounds, they encountered hurricane-force winds gusting up to 97 miles per hour and seas up to 16 feet. Rick noted, "We're getting gusts up to 45, seas up to 16 feet. So, we are going to jog tonight and try and get some sleep with the boat moving and slamming around. Not looking forward to it. It's going to be brutal."

Unexpected Crab Distribution and Resilience

The passage of Hagibis had an unexpected effect: warmer water swept in from the tropics, causing king crab to shift hundreds of miles, making them harder to find. The Aleutian Lady initially turned up many undersized crabs that had to be thrown back. Rick expressed the pressure: "If I mess up and I don't find the crab, it's just like man, I failed my guys, I failed my crew. It's such a huge responsibility." Despite the challenges, Rick maintained a positive outlook: "You've got to pick it up and always know that there is tomorrow. I mean you really never know whether half mile away, one mile away, you're going to have the motherload and you just have to keep on going."

A Successful Haul

After five days of fishing, the Aleutian Lady made dock with its cargo. Rick described the challenging entry: "It was a bear getting in here, a wind was blowing us off the dock." The Aleutian Lady proved to be the most successful boat that fished as Hagibis passed over the Bering Sea, hauling in 70,000 pounds of crab. Rick attributed their success to perseverance: "You've just always got to stay positive, 'cause you don't know what the next day's gonna be, what the next string's gonna be, what the next pot's gonna be. And lo and behold, I think we nailed it right on 'em."

HMCS Ottawa: A Warship's Journey Home

Navigating Shock Waves

The Canadian Navy vessel HMCS Ottawa, returning from a tour in the western Pacific, found its route home to British Columbia on a collision course with the "shock waves" of the Aleutian storms. Lieutenant Jacklin reported, "Here's some of the systems that are affecting us. There's this low-pressure system just in the Aleutians and it's got that very tight pressure gradients with the strong winds, pushing a lot of seas towards us."

Punching Through Waves

To reach home on time, the Ottawa had to push through waves estimated at upwards of six meters. As a large and heavy warship, its size allowed it to "punch through waves coming straight at the bow" rather than being thrown around. However, routine operations became significantly more challenging. Jacklin noted, "It could still build from now but still severe impact on operations, not really good for launching the boats or anything." The crew described the experience as "like going through a car wash!" and acknowledged that the rough seas would make daily life difficult, from getting out of bed to showering.

Training in Rough Conditions

The building seas also provided an opportunity for the Ottawa to practice range accuracy in rough conditions, as Commander Barlow stated, "We're a warship, we can't let a little bad weather stop us from getting to where we want to go."

The Pinnacle: Fishing in Treacherous Conditions

Freak Giant Waves

Captain Mark Casto and the crew of "The Pinnacle" continued fishing in treacherous conditions in the Bering Sea, even after Hagibis had dissipated. Veteran fisherman Steven Jamieson described the conditions as "a little breezy out." The constant stormy weather in the Bering increases the risk of swells interacting to form "freak giant waves."

Securing Pots and High Stakes

Steven's job involved securing the crab pots after the crabs were removed, a critical task to prevent the boat from rolling over. The video highlights the extreme danger of this work, with Steven balancing on a rolling stack without a harness, relying only on a life jacket. Falling into the freezing water would mean "almost certain death."

Conclusion: A Warning from the Deepest Ocean

Typhoon Hagibis, a record-breaking storm in terms of flood damage in Japan and cost, demonstrated the far-reaching and unpredictable impacts of extreme weather events. Its transformation into an extra-tropical cyclone and its influence on other storm systems highlighted the interconnectedness of global weather patterns. The video underscores the inherent dangers faced by those who work at sea, from fishermen in the Bering Sea to oil tanker crews and naval vessels, all of whom are vulnerable to the power of nature. As the narrator concludes, in a world of "accelerating change, as storms become more powerful and less predictable, Hagibis was a warning, summoned from the deepest and largest ocean on earth."