| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
 Molave as a tropical storm. | |
| Formed | March 12 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | March 16 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 65 km/h (40 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 1001 hPa (mbar); 29.56 inHg |
| Fatalities | 1230 |
| Damage | $80 billion (2020 USD) |
| Areas affected | China (Shanghai), North Korea and South Korea |
| Part of the 2020 Pacific typhoon season | |
Tropical Storm Molave was a tropical cyclone that devastated Shanghai, China. Molave caused $30 billion dollars (USD) in damage, and 500 direct fatalities. It was one of the worst storms to affect China.
Meteorological history[]
Track of Molave
Molave began its life as a tropical wave in the Pacific Ocean. The tropical wave traveled northward and began organizing. On March 11, JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert. It made a clockwise loop near Taiwan. The next day, the system formed a closed circulation and JTWC named it Tropical Depression 14W. Three hours later, JMA did the same. 14W started to strenghen, and it was named Molave near China. Molave made its first landfall in Zhoushan, China, and the second landfall in Lu Chaogangzhen, China.
After making landfall in China, Molave began moving northeastward quickly, and started slowly weakening. On March 14, Molave made landfall in North Korea. Molave weakened to a depression, and began to start the extratropical transition on March 15. On March 16, Molave transitioned into a extratropical cyclone near the coast of Japan. The next day, the cyclone was absorbed by another extratropical cyclone.
Preparations[]
In preparations for Molave, China Meteorological Agency issued a Yellow Alert for Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces. No evacuation was needed due to the weakness of the storm. Preparations for North Korea are unknown.
Impact[]
China[]
Dagwui Island[]
Molave dumped unusually high amount of rain during its lifetime, it poured 100+ inches (254+ cm) of rain in China in 24 hours. The highest amount recorded was in Dawugui Island, with 120 inches (305 cm) of rain total. In Dawugui Island, the whole island was flooded, and many houses and apartments were destroyed due to waterspouts/tornadoes with F3 and lower. Highway S2 was washed out, isolating the island. Many boats on the island were missing or overturned.
Shanghai[]
The same type of maglev that derailed.
In Shanghai, extreme flash floods destroyed many canals. Many highways collapsed due to rain, causing 150 indirect fatalities and $5 million (2020 USD) dollars of damage. About 60 people died from flooding and flying debris. Two maglev trains caught on fire after a lightning strike, causing another $9.5 million dollars. A F2 tornado destroyed the city's financial district, causing $10 billion dollars, and disrupting the Chinese economy severely. Rain and a F1 tornado destroyed a section of a monorail track, which later caused two maglevs to derail. The damage from the derailment are $3 million dollars and 50 deaths. (TBC)
North Korea[]
(TBC)