Tropical Storm Ma-on Makes Landfall in Southeast China

Tropical Storm Ma-on made landfall in southeast China on Thursday morning. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Ma-on was located at latitude 22.0°N and longitude 109.2°E which put it about 80 miles (130 km) east of Qinzhou. Ma-on was moving toward the west-northwest at 20 m.p.h. (32 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 994 mb.

Tropical Storm Ma-on made landfall on the coast of southeastern China between Dianbai and Zhanjiang on Thursday morning. The center of Ma-on made landfall near Wuchuan. Ma-on was a strong tropical storm at the time of landfall. The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The distribution of thunderstorms and heavy rain in Tropical Storm Ma-on was asymmetrical. Many of the thunderstorms with heavy rain were occurring in the southern half of Ma-on’s circulation. The strongest winds were occurring over the South China Sea. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 130 miles (210 km) from the center of Tropical Storm Ma-on.

Tropical Storm Ma-on will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific during the next 36 hours. The high pressure system will steer Ma-on toward the west-northwest. On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Ma-on will move inland over southeastern China and northern Vietnam. Ma-on will drop locally heavy rain over parts of southeastern China and northern Vietnam. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Tokage was weakening as it sped away from Japan. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Tokage was located at latitude 41.3°N and longitude 153.9°E which put it about 610 miles (985 km) east of Misawa, Japan. Tokage was moving toward the northeast at 25 m.p.h. (40 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 987 mb.