Tag Archives: Typhoon Melor

Typhoon Melor Making Landfall on Mindoro as Equivalent of Cat. 4 Hurricane

Typhoon Melor intensified on Monday and it is making landfall on Mindoro in the Philippines as the equivalent of a Category 4 Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Monday the center of Typhoon Melor was located at latitude 13.0°N and longitude 121.5°E which put it about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Calapan and about 125 miles (205 km) south-southeast of Manila, Philippines.  Melor was moving toward the west at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 140 m.p.h. (230 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 170 m.p.h. (270 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 939 mb.

The core of Typhoon Melor passed just north of Samar and it quickly moved over the southeastern tip of Luzon.  Since the core stayed mainly over water, the circulation was not seriously disrupted by the increased friction that would have occurred if it had moved over land.  As a result, the core Typhoon Melor was intact when it moved over the Sibuyan Sea.  The circulation was able to extract energy from the warm water of Sibuyan Sea.  Melor was in an area where the upper level winds were light and there was little vertical wind shear.  The favorable environment allowed the typhoon to intensify further on Monday and Melor reached the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane.

The center of Typhoon Melor is making a landfall on the northeast coast of Mindoro.  Since the core of Melor will be moving over the island of Mindoro during the next few hours, the typhoon should start to weaken.  Melor will likely still be a typhoon when the center emerges over the South China Sea.  A strong surge of cold, dry air from the north will increase vertical wind shear around Typhoon Melor in 24 to 36 hours.  The dry air and increased wind shear will weaken Melor more rapidly after that occurs.

A subtropical ridge is steering Typhoon Melor toward the west and that general motion is expected to continue for another 24 to 36 hours.  After that time a weakening Melor will be steered by the flow closer to the surface, which should start to push it toward the southwest.

Typhoon Melor will bring very strong winds and heavy rain to Mindoro and southern Luzon.  The core of Melor should stay south of Manila, but locally heavy rain may be possible.  Heavy rain could also cause flooding and mudslides in areas of steep terrain.

Strong Typhoon Melor Along Coast of Samar Heading for SE Luzon

Typhoon Melor reached the Philippines on Sunday and it was moving along the north coast of Samar toward southeastern Luzon.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Sunday the center of Typhoon Melor was located at latitude 12.6°N and longitude 125.3°E which put it about 20 miles (32 km) north of Laoang, Philippines and about 100 miles (160 km) east-southeast of Legaspi in southeastern Luzon.  Melor was moving toward the west at 13 m.p.h. (21 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 130 m.p.h. (210 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 160 m.p.h. (260 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 949 mb.

Typhoon Melor has been moving through an environment favorable for intensification.  The Sea Surface Temperatures were near 28°C and there has been little vertical wind shear.  However, the circulation is starting to interact with the Philippines.  The southwestern quarter of the circulation is over Samar.  However, since the core of the circulation is north of the coast of Samar, Melor has remained a strong typhoon.  The circulation of Typhoon Melor is likely to retain much of its integrity until the center makes landfall in southeastern Luzon near Sorsogon.  Melor could remain at typhoon intensity for another 24 hours.  However, eventually the increased friction will slow the portions of the circulation that move over land and Melor will weaken to a tropical storm.

A subtropical ridge is steering Typhoon Melor slightly north of due west and that general motion is expected to continue for several more days.  On its anticipated track the core of Typhoon Melor will pass north of Samar.  It will make landfall on extreme southeastern Luzon near Sorsogon in a few hours.  The center of Melor should pass south of Legaspi before moving over the Sibuyan Sea.  It could move south of Manila in about 36 hours as a tropical storm.

Melor is a strong typhoon and it could bring strong winds and heavy rain to northern Samar, southeastern Luzon, the islands around the Sibuyan Sea and Mindoro.  Heavy rain could cause flooding and trigger mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain.

Melor Intensifies into a Typhoon and Threatens the Philippines

Tropical Storm Melor continued to intensify on Saturday and it reached typhoon status.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Saturday the center of Typhoon Melor was located at latitude 12.0°N and longitude 129.7°E which put it about 320 miles (520 km) east of Laoang, Philippines.  Melor was moving toward the west-northwest at 13 m.p.h. (21 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. (170 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 973 mb.

The structure of Typhoon Melor is well organized and an eye has appeared intermittently on satellite imagery.  Melor has a small, well developed inner core surrounded by multiple spiral rainbands.  Thunderstorms near the core are generating upper level divergence, especially to the northeast of the center of circulation.  The upper level divergence is pumping out mass and causing the surface pressure to decrease.

Typhoon Melor is in an environment that is favorable for further intensification.  It is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is around 28°C.  An upper level ridge east of Melor is producing light southerly winds over the top of the typhoon, but the vertical wind shear is modest.  Melor is likely to continue to intensify on Sunday and it could become the equivalent of a major hurricane.

A subtropical ridge is steering Typhoon Melor toward the west-northwest and that general motion is expected to continue for another two or three days.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Melor could be near the northeast coast of Samar in about 24 hours.  The center of Melor could make landfall over southeast Luzon in about 36 hours.  Melor could bring strong winds and heavy rain.  The heavy rain could cause flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain.