Tropical Storm Kong-rey moved over the East China Sea on Thursday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Kong-rey was located at latitude 27.3°N and longitude 121.2°E which put the center about 75 miles (120 km) southeast of Wenzhou, China. Kong-rey was moving toward the north-northeast at 18 m.p.h. (30 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 983 mb.
Former Typhoon Kong-rey weakened to a tropical storm as it moved across Taiwan on Thursday. The mountains in Taiwan significantly disrupted the circulation in the lower levels of Kong-rey. The circulation in the middle and upper levels of Tropical Storm Kong-rey remained more intact. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were occurring in the eastern side of Kong-rey’s circulation. Bands in the western side of Tropical Storm Kong-rey consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.
The circulation around Tropical Storm Kong-rey was still large. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 200 miles (320 km) from the center Kong-rey.
Tropical Storm Kong-rey will move through an environment unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Kong-rey will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 25°C. An upper level trough over eastern China will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Kong-rey’s circulation. Those winds will cause strong vertical wind shear. In addition, the western side of Tropical Storm Kong-rey will pull drier air over Asia into the tropical storm. Cooler water, strong vertical wind shear, and drier air will cause Kong-rey to continue to weaken during the next 24 hours. The cooler water and strong wind shear will cause Tropical Storm Kong-rey to make a transition to an extratropical cyclone on Friday.
The upper level trough will steer Tropical Storm Kong-rey toward the northeast during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, the center of Kong-rey will move near the coast of Zhejiang during the next 24 hours. Tropical Storm Kong-rey could approach western Kyushu in 24 hours.
Bands in the western side of Tropical Storm Kong-rey will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to coastal parts of Zhejiang on Friday. Kong-rey could bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to western Japan on Saturday.