Tag Archives: Ryukyu Islands. Tropical Depression Kalmaegi

Tropical Storm Fung-wong Nears Southern Ryukyu Islands

Tropical Storm Fung-wong neared the southern Ryukyu Islands on Thursday night.  At 10:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Fung-wong was located at latitude 23.3°N and longitude 124.9°E which put it about 110 miles (175 km) south-southwest of Harari, Japan.  Fung-wong was moving toward the north-northeast at13 m.p.h. (20 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 989 mb.

Tropical Storm Fung-wong was weakening gradually as it neared the southern Ryukyu Islands.  An upper level trough over east Asia was producing southwesterly winds which were blowing toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds were causing moderate vertical wind shear.  There was still a well defined low level center of circulation.  A broken ring of thunderstorms surrounded the center and the strongest winds were occurring near the center of Fung-wong.  Most of the stronger thunderstorms were occurring in bands north and east of the center of circulation.  Bands in the southern and western parts of the tropical storm consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 120 miles (195 km) from the center of circulation.

A high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean and the trough over east Asia will interact to steer Tropical Storm Fung-wong toward the north-northeast during the next 24 to 36 hours.  On its anticipated track Fung-wong will move over the southern Ryukyu Islands during the next 24 hours.  The center of the tropical storm could pass close to Miyako Jima in about 12 hours.  Tropical Storm Fung-wong will continue to weaken gradually because of the moderate vertical wind shear.  Fung-wong will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to some of the southern Ryukyu Islands.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Depression Kalmaegi was moving across the South China Sea toward Vietnam.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Depression Kalmaegi was located at latitude 11.5°N and longitude 114.5°E which put it about 550 miles (890 km) east of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  Kalmaegi was moving toward the west-southwest at 11 m.p.h. (17 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 1004 mb.  Tropical Depression Kalmaegi could drop locally heavy rain over parts of southern Vietnam during the weekend.