Tag Archives: Etau

Vamco Rapidly Intensifies to Typhoon East of Luzon

Former Tropical Storm Vamco rapidly intensified into a typhoon east of Luzon on Tuesday. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Typhoon Vamco was located at latitude 14.9°N and longitude 124.0°E which put it about 230 miles (375 km) east of Manila, Philippines. Vamco was moving toward the west at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 973 mb.

Typhoon Vamco intensified rapidly on Tuesday. A circular eye was visible on satellite images. The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Vamco. Storms near the center were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away from the typhoon. Winds to typhoon force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Vamco. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) from the center of circulation.

Typhoon Vamco will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours. Vamco will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Typhoon Vamco will continue to intensify rapidly and it could strengthen to the equivalent of a major hurricane.

Typhoon Vamco will move south of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The high will steer Vamco toward the west during the next several days. On its anticipated track Typhoon Vamco will make landfall on the east coast of Luzon in about 12 hours. The center of Vamco will pass north of Manila and the core of Typhoon Vamco could come close to San Francisco.

Typhoon Vamco will bring strong winds and heavy rain to Luzon. Vamco will be capable of causing major damage. The heavy rain will cause flash floods in part of Luzon. Typhoon Vamco could cause a storm surge of up to 10 feet (3 meters) on the east coast of Luzon. Vamco will weaken when the center passes over Luzon, but it is likely to still be a typhoon when it passes north of Manila. Typhoon Vamco is also likely to cause widespread power outages on Luzon.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Depression Etau was dropping heavy rain over Cambodia. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Tropical Depression Etau was located at latitude 12.5°N and longitude 105.5°E which put it about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Etau was moving toward the west at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 25 m.p.h. (40 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 30 m.p.h. (50 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.

Tropical Storm Etau Nears Vietnam, Vamco Threatens Philippines

Tropical Storm Etau neared Vietnam on Monday and newly formed Tropical Storm Vamco threatened the Philippines. At 4:00 a.m. EST on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Etau was located at latitude 12.8°N and longitude 111.6°E which put it about 170 miles (280 km) east of Tuy Hoa, Vietnam. Etau was moving toward the west at 15 m.p.h. (24 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 995 mb.

The distribution of thunderstorms around Tropical Storm Etau was asymmetrical. Etau was moving under the southern part of an upper level ridge over eastern Asia. The ridge was producing easterly winds which were blowing toward the top of Etau. Those winds were causing moderate vertical wind shear. The shear was causing the stronger thunderstorms to occur in bands on the western side of Tropical Storm Etau. The bands in the eastern side of Etau consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) in the northern half of Tropical Storm Etau. Winds to tropical storm force only extended out 50 miles in the southern half of Etau.

Tropical Storm Etau will move south of a high pressure system over eastern Asia. The high will steer Etau toward the west during the next two days. On its anticipated track the center of Etau will make landfall in Vietnam near Tuy Hoa in about 12 hours.

Tropical Storm Etau will move through an environment that should allow it to maintain its intensity until it makes landfall in Vietnam. Etau will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28°C. The upper level ridge over eastern Asia will continue to cause moderate vertical wind shear which will limit intensification.

Since the stronger thunderstorms are in the western half of Tropical Storm Etau, heavy rain will fall over central Vietnam before the center of Etau makes landfall. Etau will drop locally heavy rain over central Vietnam, northern Cambodia, southern Laos and northeastern Thailand. The ground is already saturated in that region and flash floods are likely.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Vamco developed east of the Philippines. At 4:00 a.m. EST on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Vamco was located at latitude 12.8°N and longitude 130.6°E which put it about 370 miles (605 km) east of Laoang, Philippines. Vamco was moving toward the northwest at 13 m.p.h. (20 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 1002 mb. Tropical Storm Vamco is forecast to move toward Luzon and to strengthen into a typhoon.