Typhoons observed by the radar network of Taiwan in 1996-2000

In 1996-2000, there are 24 typhoons invading Taiwan. Strong winds and torrential rains costed severe property damages and great human life loss. Observational data taken from the radar network as well as the mesoscale network of Taiwan provide an unprecedented opportunity for meteorological scientists around the world to study the characteristics of typhoons in terms of intensity changes and precipitation enhancement during their landfalls in a complex- terrain environment. During this period, three Doppler radars were blown away by the storms, i.e., Wu-Feng-San radar, a WSR-88D S-band radar on the northeast corner of Taiwan, by typhoon Herb (1996, 7, 31), Green Island radar, a TDWR C-band Doppler radar on an island southeast of Taiwan, by typhoon Otto (1998, 8, 4), and Green Island radar again by typhoon Bilis (2000, 8, 23). Precipitation echoes and Doppler winds were collected before these radars were blown away. In this paper, observations of these typhoons by Taiwan radar network will be given. Periodic rotating eyes, outward-propagating spiral rain-bands, eye-wall contraction during landing period, and concentric eye-walls of intense typhoons will be presented.