Tag Archives: Burias

Tropical Storm Bualoi Brings Wind and Rain to Central Philippines

Tropical Storm Bualoi brought wind and rain to the central Philippines on Thursday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Bualoi was located at latitude 12.4°N and longitude 124.6°E which put the center about 5 miles (10 km) west of Catarman, Philippines.  Bualoi was moving toward the west-northwest at 13 m.p.h. (21 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. (13 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 993 mb.

Tropical Storm Bualoi brought wind and rain to the central Philippines on Thursday.  The strongest winds and heaviest rain were occurring in Samar.  Bualoi was also bringing wind and rain to southeastern Luzon and Masbate.

Tropical Storm Bualoi strengthened as it approached the central Philippines.  More thunderstorms formed near the center of Bualoi’s circulation.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Tropical Storm Bualoi.  Storms near the center of Bualoi generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The distribution of wind speeds in Tropical Storm Bualoi became more symmetrical on Thursday.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 105 miles (165 km) from the center of Bualoi’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Bualoi will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Bualoi 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 over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Bualoi’s circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification.  Even though Tropical Storm Bualoi will move through a somewhat favorable environment, the center of Bualoi will be over land at times as it moves across the central Philippines.  The times when the center of Tropical Storm Bualoi is over land will also inhibit intensification.

Tropical Storm Bualoi will move around the southern side of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Bualoi toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, the center of Tropical Storm Bualoi will move across the Sibuyan Sea.  Bualoi will move over the South China Sea during the weekend.

Tropical Storm Bualoi will bring strong winds and heavy rain to the central Philippines.  The strongest winds and heaviest rain will occur in southern Luzon, Masbate, Sibuyan Island, Tablas Island, Burias Island, Marinduque, and Mindoro.  Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.  Bualoi could also cause a storm surge of up to 7 feet (2 meters) along the coasts where the wind blows the water toward the shore.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Neoguri continued to meander far to the east of Japan.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Neoguri was located at latitude 32.0°N and longitude 154.1°E which put the center about 855 miles (1380 km) east of Tokyo, Japan.  Neoguri was moving toward the west-southwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 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 982 mb.

Major Typhoon Kammuri Makes Landfall on Southeastern Luzon

Major Typhoon Kammuri made landfall on southeastern Luzon near Sorsogon and Legaspi on Monday.  At noon EST on Monday the center of Typhoon Kammuri was located at latitude 13.2°N and longitude 123.6°E which put it about 10 miles (15 km) west of Legaspi, Philippines and about 230 miles (370 km) east-southeast of Manila.  Kamuri was moving toward the west at 11 m.p.h. (17 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 130 m.p.h. (210 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 160 m.p.h. (260 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 950 mb.

Typhoon Kammuri rapidly intensified into the equivalent of a major hurricane during the 12 hours prior to landfall on Monday.  A large eye with a diameter to 50 miles (80 km) developed at the center of Kammuri.  A thick 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 the typhoon.  Storms near the core generated strong upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the typhoon in all directions.  The removal of large amounts of mass allowed the surface pressure to decrease more quickly.

Typhoon Kammuri also grew larger as it got stronger.  Winds to typhoon force extended out about 50 miles (80 km) in most portions of Kammuri, but those strong winds extended out 90 miles (145 km) in the northwestern part of the circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) in most parts of the circulation, but they extended out 300 miles (480 km) to the northwest of the center of Kammuri.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Kammuri was 25.1.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 25.4 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 50.5.  Typhoon Kammuri was capable of causing widespread major damage to southern Luzon.

Typhoon Kammuri will move south of a ridge of high pressure over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The ridge will steer Kammuri toward the west-northwest during the next 36 to 48 hours.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Kammuri will move across southeastern Luzon and over the Sibuyan Sea during the next few hours.  The center of Kammuri is forecast to pass south of Manila in 18 to 24 hours.

Typhoon Kammuri will weaken slowly as it moves across southeastern Luzon.  Kammuri will bring strong winds and heavy rain to southern Luzon.  Typhoon Kammuri will also have a big impact on Burias, Marinduque Island and Mindoro.  Kammuri could produce winds to near typhoon force around Manila.  Typhoon Kammuri is likely to cause major damage around Legaspi.  Locally heavy rain could produce flash floods in numerous locations.  Kammuri could cause serious damage around Manila.