Tag Archives: Andaman Sea

Tropical Storm Pabuk Brings Wind and Rain to Southern Thailand

Tropical Storm Pabuk brought wind and rain to southern Thailand on Friday.  At 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Pabuk was located at latitude 8.7°N and longitude 98.5°E which put it about 60 miles (95 km) northeast of Phuket, Thailand.  Pabuk was moving toward the west-northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 997 mb.

Tropical Storm Pabuk made landfall near Sichon in southern Thailand.  Pabuk brought gusty winds to much of the Isthmus of Kra.  It also dropped heavy rain over parts of southern Thailand.  Tropical Storm Pabuk weakened when it crossed the Isthmus of Kra, but the core of the circulation appears to have remained intact.  Pabuk is moving over the Andaman Sea and it still has a well defined low level center of circulation.  Several bands of showers and thunderstorms are revolving around the core of the tropical storm.  Additional bands of showers and thunderstorms are located in the northeastern part of the circulation which is over the Gulf of Thailand.

Tropical Storm Pabuk will move into an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 to 36 hours.  Pabuk will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28°C.  An upper level ridge over the Western North Pacific Ocean will produce southeasterly winds which will blow toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear, which will inhibit intensification.  However, the wind shear may not be strong enough to prevent Tropical Storm Pabuk from strengthening.

Tropical Storm Pabuk will continue to move around the western end of the ridge over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The ridge will steer Pabuk toward the west-northwest for another 24 to 36 hours.  Pabuk will turn more toward the north when it reaches the western end of the ridge.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Pabuk will reach the Andaman Islands in about 36 hours.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Depression 01W formed southeast of the Marshall Islands.  At 4:00 p.m. EST on Friday the center of Tropical Depression 01W was located at latitude 4.9°N and longitude 174.0°E which put it about 250 miles (400 km) southeast of Majuro, Marshall Islands.  It was moving toward the northwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 30 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.  Tropical Depression 01W is forecast to move toward the west-northwest and strengthen.  On its anticipated track it could move toward Majuro, Kwajalein, Ujelang, and the Marianas.

Tropical Storm Pabuk Nears Southern Thailand

Tropical Storm Pabuk neared southern Thailand late on Thursday.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Pabuk was located at latitude 8.0°N and longitude 101.0°E which put it about 110 miles (170 km) southeast of Sichon, Thailand.  Pabuk was moving toward the west-northwest at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 988 mb.

Tropical Storm Pabuk exhibited more organization on Thursday.  A broken ring of showers and thunderstorms surrounded the center of circulation.  Stronger thunderstorms were occurring in the western part of the ring, while weaker storms and showers comprised the rest of the ring.  Several bands of thunderstorms were on the western side of Tropical Storm Pabuk.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were also on the eastern side of the circulation.  Storms near the center of circulation were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away to the northwest of the tropical storm.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out about 100 miles (160 km) from the center.

Tropical Storm Pabuk will move through an environment favorable for intensification for the next six to twelve hours.  Pabuk will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28°C.  It will move around the western end of a subtropical ridge over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The ridge will produce southeasterly winds which will blow toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear which will inhibit intensification.  Pabuk could intensify during the short term.  It will reach the coast of southern Thailand in less than 12 hours.  Tropical Storm Pabuk will weaken when it moves across the Isthmus of Kra.  Pabuk could strengthen again when it moves over the Andaman Sea in a day or so.

Tropical Storm Pabuk will move around the western end of the subtropical ridge, which will steer the tropical storm in a northwesterly direction.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Pabuk will make landfall on the coast of southern Thailand near Sichon in a few hours.  Pabuk will move across the Isthmus of Kra and into the Andaman Sea in a day or so.  Tropical Storm Pabuk could reach the Andaman Islands within 60 hours.

Tropical Storm Pabuk will bring gusty winds and heavy rain to southern Thailand.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods, especially in areas of steeper terrain.