Tag Archives: Hainan

Typhoon Saudel Strengthens East-southeast of Hainan

Typhoon Saudel strengthened over the South China Sea east-southeast of Hainan Island on Thursday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Typhoon Saudel was located at latitude 17.8°N and longitude 115.0°E which put it about 300 miles (485 km) east-southeast of Hainan. Saudel was moving toward the west-northwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 963 mb.

Typhoon Saudel intensified steadily over the South China Sea on Thursday. A small circular eye was at the center of circulation. A ring of strong thunderstorms surrounded the eye and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Saudel. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the typhoon. Winds to typhoon force extended out 75 miles (120 km) from the center of Saudel. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 250 miles (400 km) from the center.

Typhoon Saudel will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 12 to 24 hours.  Saudel will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will be in a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Typhoon Saudel could intensify during the next 12 hours. After that time an upper level ridge over eastern Asia will strengthen. The ridge will generate easterly winds which blow toward the top of Saudel’s circulation during the weekend. Those winds will cause more vertical wind shear, which could cause Saudel to weaken.

Typhoon Saudel will move south of a ridge of high pressure over eastern Asia.  The ridge will steer Saudel toward the west during the next several days.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Saudel will approach Hainan Island in about 36 hours. Saudel could approach the coast of Vietnam in about 60 hours.

Saudel Strengthens to a Typhoon over South China Sea

Former Tropical Storm Saudel strengthened to a typhoon over the South China Sea on Wednesday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Saudel was located at latitude 17.1°N and longitude 116.0°E which put it about 515 miles (830 km) east of Da Nang, Vietnam. Saudel was moving toward the northwest at 13 m.p.h. (20 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 979 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Saudel intensified after the circulation moved over the South China Sea west of Luzon. Satellite imagery provided indications that a small circular eye might be forming at the center of circulation. The inner end of a rainband was wrapping around the potential eye and the strongest winds were occurring in that rainband. Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Saudel. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the typhoon. Winds to typhoon force extended out 40 miles (65 km) from the center of Saudel. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) from the center.

Typhoon Saudel will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 to 36 hours.  Saudel will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will be in a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Typhoon Saudel will intensify during the next day or so. After that time an upper level ridge over eastern Asia will generate easterly winds which blow toward the top of Saudel’s circulation during the weekend. Those winds will cause more vertical wind shear, which could cause Saudel to weaken.

Typhoon Saudel will move south of a ridge of high pressure over eastern Asia.  The ridge will steer Saudel toward the west during the next several days.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Saudel will approach Hainan Island in about 48 hours. Saudel could approach the coast of Vietnam in about 72 hours.

Tropical Storm Nangka Brings Wind and Rain to Hainan

Tropical Storm Nangka brought wind and rain to Hainan Island on Tuesday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Nangka was located at latitude 19.1°N and longitude 110.0°E which put it about 70 miles south-southwest of Haikou, China.  Nangka was moving toward the west-northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 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 987 mb.

The center of Tropical Storm Nangka moved directly across Hainan Island on Tuesday.  Nangka strengthened before it made landfall on the east coast of Hainan.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 200 miles (320 km) from the center of Tropical Storm Nangka.  So, Nangka may have produced tropical storm force winds over much of Hainan.  Thunderstorms near the center of circulation and in bands revolving around the center were dropping heavy rain over parts of Hainan.  The heavy rain was likely to cause flash floods in some locations.

Tropical Storm Nangka will weaken while it moves across Hainan.  Nangka will move into an environment favorable for intensification for about 12 hours when it moves west of Hainan Island.  Nangka will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  It will move under the southern part of an upper level ridge over eastern Asia.  The ridge will produce easterly winds which will blow toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the shear will not be strong enough to prevent Tropical Storm Nangka from strengthening again.

Tropical Storm Nangka will move south of a high pressure system over eastern Asia.  The high will steer Nangka toward the west during the next 48 hours.  Tropical Storm Nangka will move west of Hainan Island in about 6 hours.  On its anticipated track Nangka will make landfall on the northern coast of Vietnam southeast of Hanoi in about 18 hours.  Tropical Storm Nangka will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to northern Vietnam.  Heavy rain will cause flash floods in some locations.

Tropical Storm Nangka Forms over South China Sea

Tropical Storm Nangka formed over the South China Sea on Monday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Nangka was located at latitude 18.3°N and longitude 113.8°E which put it about 200 miles (325 km) east of Hainan Island.  Nangka was moving toward the west at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 996 mb.

More thunderstorms developed near the center of a low pressure system over the South China Sea on Monday and the Japan Meteorological Agency designated the system as Tropical Storm Nangka.  The circulation around Tropical Storm Nangka exhibited more organization on Monday.  More thunderstorms formed near the center of Nangka.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of circulation.  Storms near the center generated upper level divergence which pumped mass away to the west of the tropical storm.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 75 miles (120 km) from the center.

Tropical Storm Nangka will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 12 to 18 hours.  Nangka will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will move south of an upper level ridge over eastern Asia.  The ridge will produce easterly winds which will blow toward the top of Tropical Storm Nangka.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical which shear.  The shear will slow the rate of intensification, but it will not be strong enough to keep Nangka from intensifying.  Tropical Storm Nangka will weaken in a day or so while the tropical storm moves over Hainan Island.  Nangka could restrengthen when it moves west of Hainan.

Tropical Storm Nangka will move south of a high pressure system over eastern Asia.  The high will steer Nangka toward the west-northwest.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Nangka will reach Hainan Island in less than 18 hours.  Nangka will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to Hainan.  Flash floods could occur in some locations.  Tropical Storm Nangka will reach northern Vietnam in two days.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Depression Chan-hom was weakening southeast of Japan.  At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression Chan-hom was located at latitude 29.2°N and longitude 142.5°E which put it about 400 miles (645 km) south-southeast of Tokyp, Japan.  Chan-hom was moving toward the south at 9 m.p.h (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind guts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb.

Tropical Storm Mun Develops Near Hainan Island

Tropical Storm Mun developed near Hainan Island on Tuesday when the Japan Meteorological Agency designated an area of low pressure as a tropical storm.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Mun was located at latitude 19.4°N and longitude 109.8°E which put the center over Hainan Island and it was about 225 miles (365 km) east-southeast of Hai Phong, Vietnam.  Mun was moving toward the west at 12 m.p.h. (19 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 994 mb.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Mun was very large but it did not have a well developed inner core.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out several hundred miles from the center of circulation.  However, there were few thunderstorms near the center.  The strongest thunderstorms were in two bands in the western periphery of the circulation.  Other bands around Tropical Storm Mun consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

Tropical Storm Mun will move through an environment that is not favorable for intensification.  After Mun moves west of Hainan Island the tropical storm will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  So, there is plenty of energy in the upper ocean to support intensification.  However, Tropical Storm Mun will move south of an upper level ridge over eastern Asia.  The ridge will produce strong northeasterly winds which will cause strong vertical wind shear.  The wind shear will prevent significant intensification of Tropical Storm Mun.

Since Tropical Storm Mun does not have a well developed inner core with tall thunderstorms, it will be steered by the winds at lower levels in the atmosphere.  Southeasterly winds blowing as part of the monsoonal circulation will push Mun toward the border between Vietnam and China.  On its anticipated track the center of Tropical Storm Mun will move inland within 24 hours.  Mun will bring some gusty winds and locally heavy rain to portions of northeastern Vietnam and southeastern China.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.