Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

In the Western Pacific:

Tropical depression Krosa is located approximately 246 nm south-southeast of Hong Kong.

Tropical depression Thirty is located 430 nm east of Puerto Princess, Philippines.

Tropical storm Haiyan is located approximately 829 nm east-southeast of Yap.

The tropical West Pacific remains quite active this week, as three systems are currently in the basin with landfall of these storms expected through the week. Currently, there is a tropical system to the south of Hong Kong, the once-typhoon named Krosa, that is expected to strike southern Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia with some rain and threat for flooding Monday into Tuesday.

Another system, currently called Tropical Depression 30W, is located just east of the southern Philippines island of Mindanao, is expected to push over land in the morning hours Monday, before pushing into the South China Sea by late Monday. This is where the storm is expected to develop further and could become a tropical storm or even a typhoon as it pushes westward.

A second landfall of that storm could be over southern Vietnam and Cambodia, bringing with it the possibility of flooding rainfall, stronger winds, coastal flooding, and mudslides. Anyone from Ho Chi Minh City through Hue in Vietnam will have to pay close attention to this storm.

The third, and perhaps most dangerous storm is still in its infancy. That is Tropical Depression 31W (now Tropical Storm Haiyan), which is still several hundred miles east of the Philippines, and even southeast of Guam. This system is expected to push to the west for the next few days as it gains strength over the warm waters of the Pacific. This third storm is the one to watch closely for the Philippines as this will likely strike land late in the week. It is expected to be at least a minimal typhoon as it strikes the central islands of the Philippines, and even has the chance to be a strong typhoon as it moves through. The exact track is still to be determined, but anyone in the Philippines will have to pay close attention to the system over the next few days.

It is expected to bring heavy rainfall for most parts of the Philippines, along with some strong winds and rough seas. There will be a threat for mudslides as several weaker storms over the past few weeks have affected the region and brought heavy rainfall. And with Tropical Depression 30W moving through, even more rain will be added to that total through the week. Once this system strikes the Philippines late this week, there is a chance for another system for next weekend with the West Pacific remaining active.

In the Eastern Pacific:

Tropical storm Sonia is located about 60 mi (95 km) SSW of Culiacan, Mexico.

Tropical Storm Sonia formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on early Sunday morning in an area that has already been ravaged by Hurricanes Raymond and Manuel. A tropical storm warning extends from Mazatlan northward to Altata along northwest Mexico's mainland.