Tag Archives: Damrey

Typhoon Saola Moves Back Toward Northern Luzon

Typhoon Saola moved back toward northern Luzon on Monday. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Typhoon Saola was located at latitude 18.8°N and longitude 123.3°E which put it about 115 miles (185 km) east-northeast of Aparri, Philippines. Saola was moving toward the northwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 115 m.p.h. (185 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 145 m.p.h. (235 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 951 mb.

Two concentric eyewalls formed in the core of Typhoon Saola on Monday. A small eye was at the center of Saola’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. A second, slightly larger ring of storms surrounded the inner eyewall. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the concentric eyewalls. Storms in the eyewalls generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon.

The circulation around Typhoon Saola was small even with the two concentric eyewalls. Winds to typhoon force extended out 25 miles (40 km) from the center of Saola’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 115 miles (185 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Saola was 20.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 9.5 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 30.1. Typhoon Saola was similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Zeta when Zeta hit Louisiana in 2020.

Typhoon Saola will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Saola will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C. It will move through a region where the upper level ridge winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Typhoon Saola could intensify during the next 24 hours.

Typhoon Saola will move around the southwestern side of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Saola toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Typhoon Saola will move between Luzon and Taiwan in 24 hours.

Typhoon Saola will bring strong winds and heavy rain to the islands north of Luzon. Saola could also drop heavy rains over parts of northern Luzon. Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Damrey moved quickly away from Japan and Tropical Storm Haikui formed south of Iwo To. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Damrey was located at latitude 41.2°N and longitude 152.3°E which put it about 285 miles (460 km) east-southeast of Hamanaka, Japan. Damrey was moving toward the east at 25 m.p.h. (40 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 990 mb.

At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Haikui was located at latitude 19.2°N and longitude 137.6°E which put it about 450 miles (725 km) south-southwest of Iwo To. Haikui was moving toward the west-northwest at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 995 mb.

Typhoon Saola Strengthens to Equivalent of a Major Hurricane

Typhoon Saola strengthened to the equivalent of a major hurricane over the Western North Pacific Ocean near northern Luzon on Saturday morning. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Typhoon Saola was located at latitude 17.8°N and longitude 123.3°E which put it about 100 miles (160 km) east-southeast of Aparri, Philippines. Saola was moving toward the south at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 953 mb.

Typhoon Saola rapidly intensified to the equivalent of a major hurricane during the past 24 hours. A small circular eye with a diameter of 12 miles (19 km) was at the center of Saola’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Saola. Storms near the core generated strong upper level divergence that pumped large quantities of mass away from the typhoon.

The circulation around Typhoon Saola was small. Winds to typhoon force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Saola’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Saola was 22.1. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 10.9 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 33.0. Typhoon Saola was similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Dennis when Dennis hit Northwest Florida in 2005.

Typhoon Saola will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Saola will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C. It will move through a region where the upper level ridge winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Typhoon Saola is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.

Typhoon Saola will move around the western side of a large counterclockwise monsoon gyre east of the Philippines. The monsoon gyre will pull Saola toward the southeast during the next 24 hours. A high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean will start to steer Saola back toward the northwest by the end of the weekend. On its anticipated track, Typhoon Saola is forecast to make a slow counterclockwise loop east of Luzon.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Damrey was southeast of Japan. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Damrey was located at latitude 26.9°N and longitude 152.1°E which put it about 1020 miles (1645 km) southeast of Tokyo, Japan. Damrey was moving toward the north-northwest at 25 m.p.h. (40 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.

Saola Intensifies to a Typhoon Near Northern Luzon

Former Tropical Storm Saola intensified to a typhoon over the Western North Pacific Ocean near northern Luzon on Friday morning. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Typhoon Saola was located at latitude 19.5°N and longitude 124.0°E which put it about 170 miles (280 km) east-northeast of Aparri, Philippines. Saola was moving toward the southwest at 2 m.p.h. (3 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 981 mb.

Typhoon Saola was continuing to intensify on Friday morning. A small circular eye was at the center of Saola’s circulation on microwave satellite images. The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Storms near the eye generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were in the southern and eastern parts of Typhoon Saola. Bands in the northern and western parts of Saola’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

The circulation around Typhoon Saola was small. Winds to typhoon force extended out 24 miles (40 km) from the center of Saola’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of circulation.

Typhoon Saola will move through an environment mostly favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Saola will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C. It will move under the southeastern part of an upper level ridge over South Asia and Southeast Asia. The ridge will produce northerly winds that will blow toward the top of Saola’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear and the wind shear will inhibit intensification. The vertical wind shear will probably not be enough to prevent intensification and Typhoon Saola is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.

Typhoon Saola will move around the western side of a large counterclockwise monsoon gyre east of the Philippines . The monsoon gyre will pull Saola toward the south during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Typhoon Saola is forecast to make a slow counterclockwise loop east of Luzon.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, former Tropical Depression 08W strengthened to Tropical Storm Damrey southeast of Japan. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Damrey was located at latitude 20.8°N and longitude 155.5°E which put it about 300 miles (485 km) southeast of Minami Tori Shima. Damrey was moving toward the northeast at 20 m.p.h. (33 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 995 mb.