Tag Archives: Ilagan

Typhoon Yutu Brings Wind and Rain to Luzon

Typhoon Yutu brought wind and rain to Luzon on Monday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Typhoon Yutu was located at latitude 16.8°N and longitude 122.4°E which put it about 45 miles (75 km east of Ilagan, Philippines.  Yutu was moving toward the west at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (170 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 949 mb.

The center of Typhoon Yutu made landfall near Palanan Point on the northeast coast of Luzon late on Monday.  Yutu had a large circulation.  Winds to typhoon force extended out about 80 miles (130 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out about 270 miles (435 km) from the center.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Yutu was 17.8.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 25.5 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 43.3.  Typhoon Yutu is capable of causing widespread serious damage.

Typhoon Yutu could cause a storm surge of up to 10 feet (3 meters) on the northeast coast of Luzon.  It will also produce destructive winds as it moves across northern Luzon.  Yutu will move westward across Luzon.  It will move into the South China Sea south of Vigan, Philippines.  Typhoon Yutu will drop very heavy rain over parts of northern Luzon and flash flooding will be very likely.  Rapid runoff into the Cagayan River could cause it to flood.

Typhoon Yutu will move over the Sierra Madre mountains and the Cordillera Central when it moves across northern Luzon.  Those two mountain ranges will disrupt the lower levels of the circulation and Yutu will be weaker when it reaches the South China Sea.  Yutu could still be a typhoon when it moves back over water, but it may weaken to a tropical storm by then.

Typhoon Yutu will move around the western end of a ridge of high pressure over the Western North Pacific Ocean when it reaches the South China Sea.  Yutu will move toward the north when it reaches the western end of the ridge and it could approach China in four or five days.