Typhoon Molave Makes Landfall in Vietnam

Typhoon Molave made landfall on the central coast of Vietnam on Tuesday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Typhoon Molave was located at latitude 15.1°N and longitude 109.1°E which put it about 10 miles (15 km) east of Quang Ngai, Vietnam. Molave was moving toward the west-northwest at 18 m.p.h. (30 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 957 mb.

Typhoon Molave made landfall on the coast of Vietnam near Quang Ngai on Tuesday night. Winds to typhoon force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of Molave. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Molave was 17.8. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 17.2 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 35.0. Molave was capable of causing regional serious damage.

Typhoon Molave will cause winds to typhoon force along the central coast of Vietnam. Molave will cause a significant storm surge near and to the north of where the center made landfall. Typhoon Molave will weaken steadily while it moves inland. Molave will drop locally heavy rain over parts of central Vietnam, southern Laos, northern Cambodia and northeastern Thailand. The surface in those areas is already saturated by rain dropped be previous tropical cyclones and other weather systems. Molave will almost certainly cause floods in some locations.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific, a new tropical depression formed east of the Philippines. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Depression 22W was located at latitude 16.6°N and longitude 139.6°E which put it about 1200 miles (1965 km) east of the Philippines. The depression was moving toward the west at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb. The tropical depression is forecast to move toward the Philippines and to strengthen into a typhoon.