Tropical Storm Mulan brought rain to southern China on Wednesday. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Mulan was located at latitude 20.9°N and longitude 108.9°E which put it about 40 miles (60 km) southwest of Beihai, China. Mulan was moving toward the west-northwest at 16 m.p.h. (26 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 998 mb.

Rainbands on the northern side of Tropical Storm Mulan brought rain to parts of southern China on Wednesday. Rain fell over coastal parts of southern China from Hong Kong to the border with Vietnam. Tropical Storm Mulan also dropped locally heavy rain on Hainan Island. Rainbands in the northwestern part of Mulan’s circulation brought rain to northeastern Vietnam.

Tropical Storm Mulan will move across the Gulf of Tonkin during the next 12 hours toward northern Vietnam. Mulan will move south of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean and eastern China. The high pressure system will steer Mulan toward the west-northwest during the next day or so. On its anticipated track the center of Tropical Storm Mulan will make landfall on the coast of northeastern Vietnam in about 12 hours.

Tropical Storm Mulan will move through an environment marginally favorable for intensification during the next few hours. Mulan will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30˚C. It will move under the southern part of an upper level ridge centered over eastern Asia. The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Mulan’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear and the shear will inhibit intensification. Tropical Storm Mulan is likely to maintain its current intensity during the next 12 hours, but it could strengthen a little prior to landfall in northeastern Vietnam.