Tag Archives: Tropical Storm Lionrock

Tropical Storm Lionrock Drops Heavy Rain on Northern Vietnam

Tropical Storm Lionrock dropped heavy rain on parts of northern Vietnam on Saturday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Lionrock was located at latitude 20.4°N and longitude 107.1°E which put it about 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Haiphong, Vietnam. Lionrock was moving toward the west-northwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 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 995 mb.

Tropical Storm Lionrock dropped heavy rain over the part of northern Vietnam between Hanoi and Haiphong on Saturday night. The heaviest rain was falling in bands in the western half of Tropical Storm Lionrock. Bands in the eastern side of Lionrock consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 120 miles (195 km) from the center of Lionrock’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Lionrock will move south of a high pressure system over China during the next 24 hours. The high pressure system will steer Lionrock toward the west during the next day or so. On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Lionrock will move across northern Vietnam and northern Laos. Lionrock will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to parts of northern Vietnam and northern Laos. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Kompasu was spinning east of Luzon and Tropical Storm Namtheun formed east of the northern Marianas. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Kompasu was located at latitude 15.9°N and longitude 129.8°E which put it about 470 miles (760 km) east of Luzon. Kompasu was moving toward the northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 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 990 mb. Kompasu is forecast to move toward the west-northwest and to strengthen.

At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Namtheun was located at latitude 17.0°N and longitude 160.3°E which put it about 980 miles (1580 km) east of Alamagan. Namtheun was moving toward the west at 8 m.p.h. (13 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. Namtheun was forecast to move toward the northwest and to strengthen.

Tropical Storm Lionrock Drops Heavy Rain on Hainan

Tropical Storm Lionrock dropped heavy rain on Hainan on Friday. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Lionrock was located at latitude 19.1°N and longitude 110.2°E which put it about 50 miles (80 km) south of Haikou, China. Lionrock was moving toward the north 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 991 mb.

Tropical Storm Lionrock brought gusty winds and heavy rain to Hainan on Friday. The center of Lionrock was over Hainan. Bands of showers and thunderstorms on the northern and western sides of Tropical Storm Lionrock were dropping heavy rain over much of Hainan. Bands on the southern and eastern sides of Lionrock consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. The circulation around Tropical Storm Lionrock was large. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 220 miles (350 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Storm Lionrock is likely to weaken during the next 12 hours while the center of circulation moves over Hainan. Lionrock will move into an environment favorable for intensification when the center moves over the Gulf of Tonkin. Lionrock will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move under the western side of a small upper level ridge. The ridge will produce southerly winds that will blow toward the top of Lionrock’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the shear will not be strong enough to prevent intensification. Tropical Storm Lionrock is likely to intensify slowly after the center of circulation moves over the Gulf of Tonkin.

Tropical Storm Lionrock will move around the southwestern part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean during the next 12 hours. The subtropical high will steer Lionrock toward the northwest. On its anticipated track the center of Tropical Storm Lionrock will move across Hainan and it will emerge over the Gulf of Tonkin on Saturday. Lionrock will continue to bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to Hainan during the next 12 hours. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. Tropical Storm Lionrock will move south of a second high pressure system that is centered over China during the weekend. The second high pressure system will steer Lionrock toward the west. Tropical Storm Lionrock could approach the coast of northern Vietnam in 36 hours.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, a former tropical depression east of the Philippines strengthened to Tropical Storm Kompasu. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Kompasu was located at latitude 13.8°N and longitude 131.5°E which put it about 570 miles (920 km) east of Daet, Philippines. Kompasu was stationary. 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 998 mb.

Tropical Storm Lionrock Forms Southeast of Hainan

Tropical Storm Lionrock formed over the South China Sea southeast of Hainan on Thursday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Lionrock was located at latitude 17.5°N and longitude 111.0°E which put it about 95 miles (150 km) southeast of Lingshui, China. Lionrock was moving toward the north-northwest at 5 m.p.h. (8 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 994 mb.

The circulation around a low pressure system over the South China Sea strengthened on Thursday and the Japan Meteorological Agency designated the system as Tropical Storm Lionrock. There was a broad center of circulation in the middle of Tropical Storm Lionrock. Many of the thunderstorms were occurring in bands northeast and southwest of the broad center. Storms in the bands generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) on the eastern side of Lionrock. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 75 miles (120 km) on the western side of the circulation.

Tropical Storm Lionrock will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Lionrock will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move under the eastern side of a small upper level ridge. The ridge will produce northeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Lionrock’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the shear will not be strong enough to prevent intensification. Tropical Storm Lionrock is likely to intensify slowly during the next 24 hours because of the broad center of circulation.

Tropical Storm Lionrock will move around the southwestern part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean during the next 24 hours. The subtropical high will steer Lionrock toward the north-northwest. On its anticipated track the center of Tropical Storm Lionrock will reach Hainan in 24 hours. Lionrock will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to Hainan. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, a tropical depression formed east of the Philippines. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of the tropical depression was located at latitude 13.3°N and longitude 129.7°E which put it about 400 miles (645 km) east of Legazpi, Philippines. The tropical depression was moving toward the east-northeast at 7 m.p.h. (11 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 1002 mb.

Tropical Storms Lionrock and Kompasu Spin Up Near Japan

A large cyclonic atmospheric gyre near Japan spun up two more tropical storms at the end of the week.  The Japan Meteorological Agency named two smaller circulations within the larger gyre Tropical Storm Lionrock and Tropical Storm Kompasu.

At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Kompasu was located at latitude 37.8°N and longitude 142.3°E which put it about 75 miles (120 km) east of Sendai, Japan.  Kompasu was moving toward the northwest at 26 m.p.h. (42 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 996 mb.

At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Lionrock was located at latitude 30.6°N and longitude 135.7°E which put it about 530 miles (860 km) east-northeast of Okinawa.  Lionrock was moving toward the west-southwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 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 994 mb.

Tropical Storm Kompasu is located farther north and it is beginning to make a transition into an extratropical cyclone.  Kompasu is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is near 26°C, but it is moving rapidly toward cooler SSTs.  Most of the thunderstorms are in a single primary rainband that wraps around the southern part of the circulation.  An upper level trough west of Japan is pulling southwesterly winds across the top of Tropical Storm Kompasu and the vertical wind shear is increasing.

The upper level trough is expected to turn Tropical Storm Kompasu toward the northeast.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Kompasu will move across Hokkaido in about 18 hours.  It will bring locally heavy rain and some wind.

Tropical Storm Lionrock is more well organized.  Several spiral bands of thunderstorms are wrapping around the southern and east sides of the center of circulation.  There is drier air in the western portion of the circulation and there are few thunderstorms in that part of Lionrock.  The thunderstorms east of the center are generating upper level divergence that is pumping mass toward the northeast away from core of Tropical Storm Lionrock.

Tropical Storm Lionrock is in an environment that is somewhat favorable for additional intensification.  It is moving over water where the SST is near 30°C.  The upper level trough west of Japan is generating some vertical wind shear.  The drier air in the western part of the circulation will also inhibit intensification, but Lionrock could gradually get better organized.  Upper level outflow from stronger Tropical Storm Mindulle, which is southwest of Lionrock, could produce enough vertical wind shear to weaken Lionrock at times.

The large atmospheric gyre is steering Tropical Storm Lionrock toward the west-southwest.  Lionrock could be pulled more toward the south as the larger, stronger Tropical Storm Mindulle passes east of it.  Tropical Storm Lionrock is expected to remain south of Japan during the next several days.  An alternative scenario would be for Tropical Storm Mindulle to intensify into a typhoon and grow large enough to absorb the circulation of Lionrock.