Claim：
On July 19, a user posted an image on social media claiming to have captured the eye of Typhoon Wipha while en route to Thailand, warning of severe weather conditions.
Fact check:
1.Source analysis
Reverse image searches show the photo was first uploaded by a Douban user in 2010, who said it was taken while flying over the northwest Pacific during Tropical Cyclone No. 09, a mild typhoon at the time.
2.Scientific analysis
On July 19, 2025, Typhoon Wipha was in the South China Sea, east of Hong Kong, moving from 20.4°N, 119.2°E to 21.6°N, 116.5°E (red arrow in diagram). Hong Kong (22.3°N, 113.9°E) to Bangkok (13.4°N, 100.3°E) flights typically head southwest (blue arrow), avoiding Wipha’s position and ensuring aircraft do not fly over the typhoon’s eye.
Source: National Meteorological Center (NMC) of China – Typhoon Network
3.Aviation practices
Strong typhoons typically reach cloud-top heights of 14,480–17,980 meters, exceeding the cruising altitudes of commercial aircraft, which usually operate at 8,840-12,500 m. In practice, commercial flights avoid flying directly over typhoons.
Background:
Users in the comments noted other posts using a similar image, all claiming to show typhoon eyes from flights. These photos originate from a 2010 Douban post and have circulated online since at least 2012, previously misattributed to Typhoon Vicente near Hong Kong.
Verdict: Out of context
The post was out of context. It does not depict Typhoon Wipha in 2025. The original photo dates back to 2010 and has been repeatedly recycled in social media posts falsely claiming to show typhoons from commercial aircraft.
While the authenticity of the original image from 15 years ago is difficult to confirm, its repeated use in unrelated claims constitutes a clear case of it being taken out of context.
