Tropical Storm Trami moved over the South China Sea on Thursday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Trami was located at latitude 17.0°N and longitude 118.3°E which put the center about 215 miles (350 km) northwest of Manila, Philippines.  Trami was moving toward the west at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 986 mb.

Tropical Storm Trami moved over the South China Sea on Thursday after dropping heavy rain on the Philippines that caused flash floods.  There were reports of damage and fatalities in Luzon.  The circulation around Trami began to strengthen when it moved over the South China Sea.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Trami’s circulation.  Bands of thunderstorms were in the southern half of Tropical Storm Trami.  The bands in the northern side of Trami’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of Trami generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Trami was very large.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 335 miles (535 km) from the center of Trami’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Trami will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Trami 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 over the South China Sea.  The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Trami’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Tropical Storm Trami is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.  Trami could strengthen to a typhoon during the weekend.

Tropical Storm Trami will move around the south side of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Trami toward the west during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Trami will toward Vietnam.