Tropical Storm Maysak Making Landfall in Luzon

Typhoon Maysak moved into an area of drier air and weakened to a tropical storm on Saturday before making landfall in Luzon.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Maysak was located at latitude 16.7°N and longitude 122.0°E which put it about 20 miles southeast of Cauayan and about 160 miles northeast of Manila, Philippines.  Maysak was moving toward the northwest at 12 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. and there were gusts to 65 m.p.h.  The minimum surface pressure was 989 mb.

Maysak is moving inland over Luzon.  The combination of the mountains in northern Luzon and drier air will cause Maysak to continue to weaken.  Even as the wind speeds decrease, air flowing up the sides of mountains will enhance the rainfall and create the potential for localized flooding and mudslides.  If a closed circulation still exists, it will be much weaker when it emerges over the South China Sea on Sunday.