Update: Typhoon!

I know this is supposed to be summer break, but I couldn't help stay in touch with friends back in Shanghai. Right now I'm in Thailand on a bicycle trip, by the way

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/9280

There has been big talk of a super typhoon expected to hit Shanghai, and the city made preparations for evacuations and flight cancellations, etc. Everything looked like the city would score a direct hit, based on projections and probabilities, etc.

But due to a miraculous turn of events, and no doubt in response to prayers, the typhoon missed Shanghai and headed due north. Ironically enough, it is going to slam hard into Dalian, where I used to live and work from 2006-08.

More news here:

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/nsp/Metro/2011/08/07/High%2Bwinds%2Bbut%2Bcity%2Bset%2Bto%2Bavoid%2Bworst%2Bof%2BMuifa/

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SHANGHAI weather forecasters expect strong winds over the next two days, even though the city of 23 million appeared to have escaped the brunt of Typhoon Muifa yesterday.

Though earlier forecasts put the city directly in the storm's path, it looked likely to bypass Shanghai early this morning and move further north. As a result, its impact would not be as strong as expected, weathermen said yesterday.

The once super typhoon, the highest level, weakened to typhoon level yesterday after encountering dry air on its way to China, said the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau.

The bureau fixed its prediction late yesterday as Muifa changed its direction while approaching the east coast.

"The major impact should only be the big gales while the rainfall won't be as much as previously predicted," said Yao Jianqun, deputy director of the bureau's observatory.
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