Tropical Storm Wipha brought wind and rain to southern China on Sunday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Wipha was located at latitude 21.6°N and longitude 111.2°E which put the center about 70 miles (110 km) east-northeast of Zhanjiang, China.  Wipha was moving toward the west at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 980 mb.

Former Typhoon Wipha weakened to a tropical storm after it made landfall on the coast of southern China west of Hong Kong.  Tropical Storm Wipha was bringing strong winds and heavy rain to parts of southern China on Sunday.

A weather station at Hong Kong airport (VHHH) reported a sustained wind speed of 46 knots (53 m.p.h. or 85 km/h) as the center of then Typhoon Wipha passed south of the station.  The same weather station also reported a wind gust of 65 knots (75 m.p.h. or 120 km/h).

The circulation around Tropical Storm Wipha remains well organized even though the center of Wipha’s circulation has been overland for a few hours.  A broken ring of thunderstorms surrounds the center of Tropical Storm Wipha.  The strongest winds are occurring in that ring of storms.  Thunderstorms are occurring in bands in the western side of Wipha’s circulation.  Bands in the northern and eastern parts of Tropical Storm Wipha consist primarily of showers and lower clouds.

The strongest winds in Tropical Storm Wipha are occurring in the part of Wipha’s circulation that is over the northern South China Sea.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 155 miles (250 km) from the center of Tropical Storm Wipha.

Tropical Storm Wipha will move around the southern part of a high pressure system over eastern China.  The high pressure system will steer Wipha toward the west-southwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, the center of Tropical Storm Wipha will move along the coast of southern China during the next 12 hours.  The center of Wipha’s circulation could move over the northern Gulf of Tonkin on Monday.

Tropical Storm Wipha will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to southwestern Guangdong.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some location.  Tropical Storm Wipha will also produce strong winds and heavy rain in southern Guangxi and in Hainan.  Tropical Storm Wipha could bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to northern Vietnam early next week.

Tropical Storm Wipha will weaken slowly as long as the center of circulation remains over land.  If the center of Wipha’s circulation  moves over the Gulf of Tonkin on Monday, then Wipha would move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification.  Tropical Storm Wipha would move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It would move under the southern side of an upper level ridge that is over China.  The upper level ridge will produce northeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Wipha’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification but the wind shear may not be enough to prevent intensification. Tropical Storm Wipha could intensify a little  on Monday if the center of Wipha’s circulation moves over the Gulf of Tonkin.