Tag Archives: Tropical Depression 05W

Tropical Storm Mun Spins Southeast of Japan

Tropical Storm Mun was spinning over the Western North Pacific Ocean southeast of Japan on Thursday evening.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Mun was located at latitude 29.9°N and longitude 144.9°E which put the center about 495 miles (795 km) southeast of Tokyo, Japan.  Mun was moving toward the north at 7 m.p.h. (11 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 982 mb.

Tropical Storm Mun strengthened on Thursday as it spun over the Western North Pacific Ocean southeast of Japan.  The circulation around Tropical Storm Mun became more symmetrical.  More thunderstorms developed near the center of Mun’s circulation.  Thunderstorms were also occurring in bands revolving around the center of Tropical Storm Mun.  Storms near the center of Mun generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Mun was small.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles (95 km) from the center of Mun’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Mun will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Mun will move over water where where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 27°C.  An upper level low south of Japan will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Mun’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the shear will probably not be enough to prevent intensification.  Tropical Storm Mun is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.  Mun could strengthen to a typhoon.

Tropical Storm Mun will move around the western end of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Mun toward the northeast during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Mun will move farther away from Honshu.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Depression 05W formed south of Taiwan.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Depression 05W was located at latitude 19.7°N and longitude 118.6°E which put the center about 305 miles (495 km) south-southwest of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.  The tropical depression was moving toward the west-southwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1001 mb.

Tropical Depression Forms South of Hainan Island

A tropical depression formed just to the south of Hainan Island on Friday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Depression 05W was located at latitude 18.3°N and longitude 109.5°E which put it about 35 miles (55 km) south of Sanya, China. The depression was moving toward the west at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb.

Thunderstorms developed closer to the center of a low pressure system south of Hainan Island on Friday night and both the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center designated the system as a tropical depression. The distribution of thunderstorms around Tropical Depression 05W was asymmetrical. The strongest thunderstorms were occurring in bands southwest of the center of the tropical depression. Bands in the other parts of the circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. An upper level ridge centered over southern China was producing moderate northeasterly winds that were blowing toward the top of the depression. Those winds were causing moderate vertical wind shear and they were also causing the asymmetrical distribution of thunderstorms.

The center of Tropical Depression 05W will move near Hainan Island during the next few hours. The northern half of the circulation around the tropical depression will be over Hainan Island, which will inhibit intensification. Tropical Depression 05W will move into an environment favorable for intensification when it moves west of Hainan Island. The tropical depression will move over an area where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C. The upper level ridge over southern China will continue to produce moderate vertical wind shear. Even with the moderate wind shear, Tropical Depression 05W is likely to intensify to a tropical storm during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Depression 05W will move around the southern part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean during the next 36 hours. The high pressure system will steer the tropical depression toward the west-northwest. On its anticipated track the center of Tropical Depression 05W will pass near the southern part of Hainan Island. Since the strongest thunderstorms are in the southwestern part of the circulation, the tropical depression will cause mainly gustier winds over Hainan Island. Tropical Depression 05W could approach northern Vietnam in 24 hours. It could bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to parts of northern Vietnam. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.