I just realized this will be hitting during the full moon, and the full moon that I believe is happening at the fall equinox. I believe, though I need to verify, that full moons on an equinox create even greater tidal surges. Is that right?

The Moon Festival takes place during the full moon of the equinox, right? Yes, just verified. Full moon is on the 19th, Moon Festival day, and the equinox is on Sept. 23rd.

UPDATE: Yes, I've been doing some searches, and apparently a full moon during an equinox can produce some extraordinary tides. Now we have a full moon, an equinox, and a typhoon. Granted, the full moon isn't happening on the exact day of the equinox, but they're pretty darn close, with the typhoon sandwiched right in between.