Tag Archives: South China Sea

Tropical Storm Tembin Forms East of the Philippines

Tropical Storm Tembin formed east of the Philippines on Wednesday.  At 1:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Tembin was located at latitude 9.0°N and longitude 130.7°E which put it about 270 miles (435 km) east of Mindanao.  Tembin was moving toward the west at 12 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 1000 mb.

A more well organized center of circulation developed on the eastern edge of a cluster of thunderstorms east of the Philippines and the Japan Meteorological Agency classified the system as Tropical Storm Tembin.  The distribution of thunderstorms in Tembin is asymmetrical.  Most of the storms are forming in bands north and west of the center of circulation.  Those storms are generating upper level divergence which is pumping mass away from the core of Tembin.  There are a few thunderstorms in bands on the eastern periphery of the circulation, but most of the bands in the eastern half of Tropical Storm Tembin contain only low clouds and showers.

Tropical Storm Tembin will be moving through an environment favorable for intensification during the next several days.  Tembin will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  An upper level ridge north of Tembin is producing easterly winds which are blowing toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds are causing moderate vertical wind shear and they are probably the reason why most of the thunderstorms are developing west of the center of circulation.  However, the shear has not been enough to prevent Tembin from organizing and Tembin is likely to strengthen during the next 24 hours.  The center of Tembin will move over Mindanao later on Thursday and it will weaken while the center is over land.  Tropical Storm Tembin will likely intensify once the center moves west of Mindanao.

A subtropical ridge north of Tembin is steering the tropical storm toward the west and a general westerly motion is expected to continue for several more days.  On its anticipated track the center of Tropical Storm Tembin could approach Mindanao in about 24 hours.  Tembin is then forecast to move over the Bohol Sea and Sulu Sea and on toward Palawan.  It currently looks like Tropical Storm Tembin will take a track a little to the south of the track taken by Tropical Storm Kai-tak across the Philippines last week.

Tropical Storm Tembin will drop heavy rain over parts of Mindanao, southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Negros, Siargao, and Dinagat.  The heavy rain could cause floods and mudslides.  The northern part of Tropical Storm Tembin could drop heavy rain in some of the places affected by Tropical Storm Kai-tak last week.  Any additional rain in those locations would hamper efforts to recover from floods and mudslides caused by Kai-tak.

Tropical Storm Kai-Tak continue to move southwest over the South China Sea.  At 4:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Kai-tak was located at latitude 6.4°N and longitude 111.1°E which put it about 440 miles (710 km) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  Kai-tak was moving toward the southwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 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 998 mb.

Tropical Storm Kai-tak Moves Over South China Sea

Tropical Storm Kai-tak moved west of the Philippines and over the South China Sea on Tuesday.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Kai-tak was located at latitude 8.2°N and longitude 112.0°E which put it about 425 miles (685 km) east-southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  Kai-tak was moving toward the west-southwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 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 1000 mb.

The organization of the circulation of Tropical Storm Kai-tak improved on Tuesday.  More thunderstorms developed near the center of circulation.  The two stronger rainbands were north and west of the center.  However, thunderstorms also developed in a couple of bands southeast of the center of circulation.  These storms were the first to form in the eastern half of the circulation in several days.  The distribution of the rainbands was still asymmetrical, but storms were occurring in more quadrants of Kai-tak.  The storms in the two stronger rainbands were generating some upper level divergence which was pumping mass away to the west of the tropical storm.

Tropical Storm Kai-tak will be moving through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next day or two.  Kai-tak will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  Kai-tak is moving near the southwestern portion of a subtropical ridge.  The ridge is producing easterly winds which are blowing toward the top of the circulation.  The easterly winds are causing moderate vertical wind shear, but they have weakened somewhat during the past 24 hours.  Less wind shear has allowed Tropical Storm Kai-tak to become better organized.  Tropical Storm Kai-tak could strengthen during the next 24 to 36 hours.

The western end of the subtropical ridge is strengthening and the ridge is steering Tropical Storm Kai-tak toward the west-southwest.  A general motion toward the west-southwest is expected to continue for the next two or three days.  On its anticipated track the center of Tropical Storm Kai-tak is expected to pass south of the southern tip of Vietnam.  Kai-tak is forecast to stay north of Borneo.  The center of Tropical Storm Kai-tak could approach the region near the border between Thailand and Malaysia in about 72 hours.

Tropical Storm Kai-tak Weakens Over the Philippines

Tropical Storm Kai-tak weakened as it passed over the Philippines.   Kai-tak dropped heavy rain which caused floods and mudslides before it weakened.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Kai-tak was located at latitude 10.5°N and longitude 119.1°E which put it about 75 miles (120 km) northeast of Puerto Princesa, Philippines.  Kai-tak was moving toward the west-southwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 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 1000 mb.

Moving over islands of the central Philippines disrupted parts of the circulation of Tropical Storm Kai-tak.  In addition an upper level ridge produced strong easterly winds which blew across the top of the circulation.  Those winds caused moderate vertical wind shear.  The strong upper level winds periodically weakened the thunderstorms near the core of the circulation.  The upper level winds slowed at times and more storms developed near the center of Tropical Storm Kai-tak.  The persistent vertical wind shear weakened the low level circulation.

More thunderstorms developed near the center of Tropical Storm Kai-tak during recent hours, but the circulation remains asymmetrical.  The new storms were forming west of the center of circulation.  There were only a few thin bands of showers in the eastern half of the circulation.  The strongest winds were occurring in the thunderstorms west of the center of Tropical Storm Kai-tak.  The Japan Meteorological Agency was maintaining a classification of a tropical storm.

Tropical Storm Kai-tak will move through an environment only marginally favorable for intensification.  Kai-tak will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  The upper level ridge will continue to produce strong easterly winds and there will continue to be moderate vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Kai-tak could maintain its intensify, if the wind shear does not increase.  However, if the upper level winds get stronger, then they could blow the top off of the circulation.

Tropical Storm Kai-tak is moving south of a subtropical ridge which is steering the tropical storm toward the west-southwest.  The west-southwesterly motion is forecast to continue for another day or two.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Kai-tak will move across Palawan and over the South China Sea.

Tropical Storm Kirogi Brings Rain to Southern Vietnam

Tropical Storm Kirogi brought locally heavy rain to southern Vietnam on Saturday night.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Saturday night the center of Tropical Storm Kirogi was located at latitude 10.4°N and longitude 109.8°E which put it about 220 miles (355 km) east of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  Kirogi was moving toward the west at 13 m.p.h. (21 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 1001 mb.

Kirogi is a small tropical storm.  Winds to tropical storm force extend out about 90 miles (145 km) from the center of circulation.  The circulation is compact and circular.  Most of the strong storms are in the western half of the circulation.  There are numerous bands of lighter showers in eastern half of the circulation.  An upper level ridge north of Kirogi is producing easterly winds which are blowing toward the top of the circulation.  The vertical wind shear is causing the asymmetrical distribution of the stronger storms.

The ridge is steering Tropical Storm Kirogi toward the west.  The center of Tropical Storm Kirogi will make landfall on the coast of Vietnam near Ham Thuan Nam in a few hours.  Kirogi will continue moving west toward Ho Chi Minh City and then over southeastern Cambodia.  Tropical Storm Kirogi will drop locally heavy rain along the coast from Nha Trang to the Mouths of the Mekong River.  Kirogi will also be capable of producing heavy heavy over parts of the southern Cambodia.  The rainfall could be heavy enough to cause flooding in some locations.

Tropical Storm Kirogi Forms West of the Philippines

Tropical Storm Kirogi formed west of the Philippines on Friday.  At 4:00 p.m. EST on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Kirogi was located at latitude 10.9°N and longitude 115.7°E which put it about 465 miles (745 km) east of Nha Trang, Vietnam.  Kirogi was moving toward the west-northwest at 18 m.p.h. (30 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 1000 mb.

A low level center of circulation developed near the eastern edge of an area of showers and thunderstorms west of the Philippines on Friday and the Japan Meteorological Agency designated the system as Tropical Storm Kirogi.  The distribution of showers and thunderstorms in Kirogi was asymmetrical.  A primary rainband wrapped around the western side of the center of circulations and most of the stronger storms were west of the center.  There were only bands of low clouds and showers east of the center of Kirogi.  An upper level ridge north of Kirogi was producing easterly winds which were blowing across the top of the tropical storm.  The vertical wind shear created by those winds was causing the asymmetrical distribution of showers and thunderstorms.

Tropical Storm Kirogi will move through an environment that will be somewhat favorable for intensification.  Kirogi will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  The upper level ridge will continue to cause vertical wind shear.  The shear may be strong enough to slow intensification, but it may not strong enough to prevent Tropical Storm Kirogi from strengthening.  The forecast is for Tropical Storm Kirogi to intensify during the next 24 to 36 hours.

The ridge is steering Tropical Storm Kirogi toward the west-northwest and a general westerly motion is expected to continue.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Kirogi will move across the South China Sea toward Vietnam.  Kirogi could reach the coast of Vietnam near Nha Trang in about 36 hours.  Kirogi will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain when it reaches the coast.  The locally heavy rain could cause flash floods.  There could also be a storm surge of 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 meters) where the wind blows water toward the coast of Vietnam.

Remnants of Tropical Storm Haikui Make Landfall in Vietnam

The remnants of Tropical Storm Haikui made landfall near Da Nang, Vietnam late on Monday.  At 10:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression Haikui were located at latitude 17.0°N and longitude 108.2°E which put it about 20 miles (30 km/h) north of Da Nang, Vietnam.  Haikui was moving toward the west at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 25 m.p.h. (40 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1003 mb.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Haikui consists of primarily of a low level counterclockwise circulation.  There are several thin bands of low clouds and showers.  Stronger thunderstorms were forming near the core of the circulation.  It appeared that winds blowing toward the coast were converging due to increased friction caused by the land.  The convergence was causing stronger rising motion which was contributing to the development of strong thunderstorms near and to the west of the center of circulation.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Haikui will move inland before significant intensification can occur.  The remnants of Haikui could drop locally heavy rainfall over portions of Vietnam, southern Laos and northeastern Thailand.  Locally heavy rainfall could cause flooding in some places.

Tropical Storm Haikui Weakens Southeast of Hainan Island

Tropical Storm Haikui weakened as it moved southeast of Hainan Island on Saturday.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Haikui was located at latitude 17.6°N and longitude 112.6°E which put it about 290 miles (470 km) east of Da Nang, Vietnam.  Haikui was moving toward the west-southwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 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 999 mb.

A combination of drier air and strong vertical wind shear weakened Tropical Storm Haikui on Saturday.  Strong northeasterly winds transported colder drier air from eastern Asia into the circulation of Tropical Storm Haikui.  The drier air reached the core of the circulation and it prevented the formation of new thunderstorms around the center of circulation.  Strong westerly winds in the upper levels were blowing over the top of the circulation.  The combination of northeasterly winds in the lower levels and westerly winds in the upper levels produced strong vertical wind shear.  The wind shear blew the upper portion of the circulation to the east of the low level core of Tropical Storm Haikui.  The core of Tropical Storm Haikui consists of a circular rotation of showers and low clouds.  The only thunderstorms are occurring in a rainband on the northeastern periphery of the circulation.

The strong wind vertical wind shear and drier air should continue to weaken Tropical Storm Haikui.  Haikui is likely to weaken to a tropical depression on Sunday.  Since the circulation exists primarily in the lower levels, it will be steered by the winds closer to the surface of the Earth.  The northeasterly winds in the lower levels will steer Tropical Storm Haikui toward the west- southwest.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Haikui will pass south of Hainan Island.  Haikui or its remnants could reach the coast of Vietnam in 36 to 48 hours.

Tropical Storm Haikui Moves Across South China Sea

Tropical Storm Haikui moved across the South China Sea on Friday.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Haikui was located at latitude 17.8°N and longitude 115.4°E which put it about 485 miles (785 km) east of Da Nang, Vietnam.  Haikui was moving toward the west-northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 994 mb.

Tropical Storm Haikui strengthened slightly on Friday, but the circulation remained asymmetrical.  Most of the stronger thunderstorms were occurring east of the center of circulation.  A short primary rainband wrapped around the eastern side of the center.  Several other broken bands of showers and thunderstorms formed to the east of the primary rainband.  Bands of showers and storms were also located south of the center of circulation.  Storms near the core of Tropical Storm Haikui were generating some upper level divergence which was pumping mass away to the east of the tropical storm.  The bands in the western half of the circulation consisted primarily of low clouds and showers.

Tropical Storm Haikui will move through an environment marginally favorable for intensification during the next 24 to 36 hours.  Haikui will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  Colder, drier air over eastern Asia was flowing toward the western side of Tropical Storm Haikui.  The upper level westerly winds of the middle latitudes were blowing just to the northwest of Tropical Storm Haikui.  Those winds were causing moderate vertical shear over the northwestern periphery of Haikui.  The winds over the core of Tropical Storm Haikui were weaker.  If Tropical Storm Haikui remains south of the stronger westerly winds, it could intensify a little more during the next 24 hours.

A ridge to the north of Haikui is steering the tropical storm toward the west-northwest.  The ridge is forecast to strengthen and Tropical Storm Haikui is likely to move more toward the west during the next several days.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Haikui will pass south of Hainan Island in about 48 hours.  Tropical Storm Haikui could reach the coast of Vietnam in less than three days.

Tropical Storm Haikui Develops Over the Philippines

Tropical Storm Haikui developed over the Philippines on Thursday.  At 4:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Haikui was located at latitude 14.6°N and longitude 119.8°E which put it about 50 miles (80 km) west-southwest of Manila, Philippines.  Haikui was moving toward the west-northwest at 13 m.p.h. (21 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).  Thee minimum surface pressure was 998 mb.

A center of circulation developed within an area of showers and thunderstorms over the Philippines and the Japan Meteorological Agency designated the system as Tropical Storm Haikui.  The circulation of Tropical Storm Haikui is still organizing.  Several areas of showers and thunderstorms are east and south of the center of circulation.  Broken bands of showers and storms are beginning to form farther away from the center.  There are fewer showers and thunderstorms in the western half of the circulation.

Tropical Storm Haikui will be moving through an environment that is somewhat favorable for intensification.  Haikui will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  An upper level ridge centered northeast of the Philippines is producing easterly winds which are blowing toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds are causing moderate vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Haikui will move toward the western end of the ridge and the winds will blow from the southwest at that point.  So, the direction of the wind shear will change.  If Haikui stays far enough south, it will pass south of the stronger upper level winds and the tropical storm could intensify.

The ridge northeast of the Philippines is steering Tropical Storm Haikui toward the west-northwest and that general motion is expected to continue for several more days.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Haikui will move away from the Philippines across the South China Sea.  Haikui could approach Hainan Island in a few days.

Typhoon Damrey Makes Landfall in Vietnam

Typhoon Damrey made landfall in Vietnam late on Friday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Typhoon Damrey was located at latitude 12.9°N and longitude 109.7°E which put it about 100 miles (160 km) east-northeast of Nha Trang, Vietnam.  Damrey was moving toward the west at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (170 km/hr) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (205 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 960 mb.

Typhoon Damrey strengthened until it made landfall on the coast of Vietnam.  A small eye formed at the center of circulation.  A ring of strong thunderstorms surrounded the eye and the strongest winds were occurring that ring.  Multiple bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Damrey.  Winds to typhoon force extended out about 40 miles (65 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) from the center.

A ridge north of Damrey steered the typhoon steadily westward across the South China Sea.  The center of Typhoon Damrey made landfall on the coast of Vietnam north of Nha Trang.  The ridge is forecast to continue to steer Damrey toward the west.  Typhoon Damrey will move across southern Vietnam, southern Laos, Cambodia and Thailand during the next several days.

Typhoon Damrey brought strong winds and heavy rain to the coast of Vietnam.  Damrey was capable of causing serious wind damage.  Typhoon Damrey was also capable of generating a storm surge of 9 to 12 feet (3 to 4 meters) where the winds blew the water toward the coast.  Damrey will weaken as it moves inland over Southeast Asia, but it will drop locally heavy rain.  The locally heavy rain could produce serious floods in parts of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.