Tropical Storm Kujira Makes Landfall on Hainan Island

Tropical Storm Kujira made landfall on the east coast of Hainan Island on Monday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Kujira was located at latitude 19.9°N and longitude 109.1°E which put it about 100 miles (160 km) south of Beihai, China.  Kujira was moving toward the northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 992 mb.

Passing across Hainan Island weakened Tropical Storm Kujira on Monday.  In addition, an upper level ridge over southern Asia continues to generate vertical wind shear over the tropical storm.  However, it will move over warm water when the center moves northwest of Hainan Island.  So, Kujira could maintain tropical storm intensity until it makes another landfall in China in about 18 to 24 hours.  The primary risk will be locally heavy rainfall.