Tag Archives: Typhun Khanun

Typhoon Khanun Makes Landfall in Southern China

Typhoon Khanun made landfall near Zhanjiang in southern China on Sunday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Typhoon Khanun was located at latitude 20.9°N and longitude 109.3°E which put it about 50 miles (80 km/h) south-southeast of Beihai, China.  Khanun was moving toward the west at 17 m.p.h. (27 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (150 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 969 mb.

Typhoon Khanun brought gusty winds and locally heavy rain over coastal sections of southern China on Sunday.  Khanun has weakened since it made landfall.  An upper level ridge centered over eastern China is producing easterly winds which are blowing over the top of the circulation.  Those winds are causing strong vertical wind shear, which is pushing the upper half of the circulation to the west of low level circulation.  The circulation is pulling drier air from Asia into the western part of Typhoon Khanun and the drier air is wrapping around the southern and eastern sides of the circulation.   Interaction with land and strong vertical wind shear will continue to weaken Khanun on Monday.  Khanun will bring rain to southern China and northern Vietnam as it weakens.

Elsewhere over the western North Pacific Ocean Tropical Depression Twentyfive-W formed west of Yap.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Depression Twentyfive-W was located at latitude 10.3°N and longitude 136.1°E which put it about 125 miles (200 km) west-northwest of Yap.  It was moving toward the north-northwest 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 999 mb.

The circulation of Tropical Depression Twentyfive-W is still organizing.  Most of the showers and thunderstorms are in a primary rainband that wraps around the eastern side of the circulation.  The depression is moving through an area favorable for intensification.  It is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  The upper level winds are weak and there is not much vertical wind shear.  Tropical Depression Twentyfive-W is likely to be become a tropical storm during the next 24 hours and it could become a typhoon in a couple of days.  The depression is forecast to move toward the north-northwest as it moves around the western end of a subtropical ridge over the Pacific Ocean.