Tag Archives: Baguio

Tropical Storm Saudel Brings Wind and Rain to Luzon

Tropical Storm Saudel brought wind and rain to Luzon on Tuesday. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Saudel was located at latitude 15.8°N and longitude 121.6°E which put it about 120 miles (195 km) northeast of Manila, Philippines. Saudel was moving toward the west at 11 m.p.h. (17 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 997 mb.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) determined based on weather radar that the center of Tropical Storm Saudel made landfall on the east coast of Luzon north of Baler on Tuesday. Saudel was getting stronger at the time of landfall. The radar indicated that there was a small, tight center of circulation. Bands of showers and thunderstorms wrapped closely around the center of Tropical Storm Saudel. Other outer rainbands were revolving around the center. Satellite imagery showed that storms near the center were generating upper level divergence which pumped mass away to the west and north of the tropical storm. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) from the center of Saudel.

Tropical Storm Saudel will move across northern Luzon during the next 12 hours. Saudel will bring gusty winds an it will drop locally heavy rain over parts of northern Luzon. Heavy rain could could cause flash floods in some locations. Tropical Storm Saudel will weaken while the center crosses Luzon. The center of Saudel is likely to emerge over the South China Sea near Baguio in about 12 hours.

Tropical Storm Saudel will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification when it moves over the South China Sea.  Saudel will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will be under the southern part of an upper level ridge.  The ridge will produce easterly winds which will blow toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear.  The shear will inhibit intensification but it will not be strong enough to keep Tropical Storm Saudel from intensifying. Saudel will begin to strengthen again when it moves back over water and it could intensify into a typhoon.

Tropical Storm 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 Tropical Storm Saudel will approach the coast of Vietnam in a few days.

Tropical Storm Kalmaegi Brings Wind and Rain to Northern Luzon

Tropical Storm Kalmaegi brought wind and rain to northern Luzon on Tuesday night.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center Tropical Storm Kalmaegi was located at latitude 17.0°N and longitude 121.2°W which put it about 70 miles (110 km) northeast of Baguio, Philippines.  Kalmaegi was moving toward the south-southwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 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.

Former Typhoon Kalmaegi weakened to a tropical storm before it made landfall on the north coast of Luzon near Aparri.  Kalmaegi was under the western end of an upper level ridge.  The ridge produced strong southerly winds which blew toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds caused moderate vertical wind shear which weakened thunderstorms in the southern half of the circulation.  Drier air from Asia was pulled into the western part of the tropical storm.  The stronger thunderstorms were occurring northeast of the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 100 miles (160 km) from the center in most parts of Tropical Storm Kalmaegi.  A high pressure system over Asia was contributing to a bigger pressure gradient in the northwestern quadrant of Kalmaegi and winds to tropical storm force extended out 200 miles (320 km) in that area.

Tropical Storm Kalmaegi was dropping locally heavy rain over parts of northern Luzon.  The heavy rain was creating the potential for flash floods.  Kalmaegi will be steered toward the southwest by the high pressure system over Asia. On its anticipated track the center of Tropical Storm Kalmaegi will pass near Baguio.  Kalmaegi will continue to weaken as it moves over northern Luzon.  It will move over the South China Sea northwest of Manila.  Tropical Storm Kalmaegi will continue to drop heavy rain over parts of Luzon and the flash flood threat will continue for several more days.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Fung-wong developed east of Luzon on Tuesday night.  At 10:00 p.m. EST the center of Tropical Storm Fung-wong was located at latitude 16.3°N and longitude 127.8°E which put it about 425 miles (685 km) east-southeast of Aparri, Philippines.  Fung-wong was moving toward the northwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 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 1000 mb.  Tropical Storm Fung-wong is forecast to strengthen during the next 36 hours while it moves toward the Luzon Strait.