Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

Quiet in the Atlantic - An area of low pressure over the Central Caribbean is bringing disorganised heavy rain showers to the region. None of the reliable models for tropical cyclone formation is predicting development during the coming five days.

In the Western Pacific:

Tropical Storm Haiyan is gathering strength over the warm tropical waters east of the Philippines. Haiyan's formation brings the tally of named storms in the Western Pacific in 2013 to 28, making it the busiest season in that ocean basin since the 32 named storms of 2004.

Philippines - Tropical cyclone Wilma weakens, Yolanda follows. After making a landfall on Mindanao, Tropical Depression "Wilma" weakened into a low-pressure area (LPA) Monday afternoon. People should always be careful and should remain vigilant especially since another weather disturbance will probably hit the region by Thursday or Friday this week. Once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility, it will be named "Yolanda". Yolanda has a wider coverage compared with Wilma.

In the Eastern Pacific:

Tropical Storm Sonia, the eighteenth named storm of the 2013 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, made landfall near midnight EST on Sunday near El Dorado, Mexico, as a minimal tropical storm with 40 mph winds. Heavy rains of 3 - 6 inches were expected in Mainland Mexico along the path of Sonia on Monday, potentially triggering flash floods and mudslides. Moisture from Sonia is being drawn to the northeast, where it will contribute to rains over the Central U.S. later in the week.

NewsBytes:

Massive landslide in the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea has claimed lives of at least nine people. A huge slip of earth, trees and debris crashed down a mountain side into Kenagi village.

Rare tornado sweeps through Arnhem in the Netherlands.