Tropical Storm Tapah formed over the South China Sea on Saturday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Tapah was located at latitude 18.6°N and longitude 115.2°E which put the center about 280 miles (455 km) south-southeast of Hong Kong.  Tapah was moving toward the west-northwest at 11 m.p.h. (17 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 999 mb.

A low pressure system over the South China Sea strengthened on Saturday and the Japan Meteorological Agency designated the system as Tropical Storm Tapah.

The distribution of thunderstorms in Tropical Storm Tapan was asymmetrical.  Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the southern side of Tapah’s circulation.  Bands in the northern side of Tropical Storm Tapah consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of Tapah generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the west of the tropical storm.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Tapah was large,  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 145 miles (235 km) from the center of Tapah’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Tapah will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Tapah will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move under the southern part of an upper level ridge that is over China.  The upper level ridge will produce northeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Tapah’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Tropical Storm Tapah will intensify during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Storm Tapah will move around the southwestern side of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean.   The high pressure system will steer Tapah toward the northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Tapah will approach the coast of southern China in 36 hours.