Bushman's Typhoon Blog: TS FUNG-WONG (IGME) nears Batanes-Taiwan... [Update #004]

Typhoon2000 STORM UPDATE #004

Name: TROPICAL STORM FUNG-WONG [IGME/09W/0808]

Issued: 12:00 PM MANILA TIME (04:00 GMT) SAT 26 JULY 2008
Source: JTWC TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING NUMBER 007
Note: Kindly refer to your country's official warnings or bulletins. This update is for additional information purposes only.

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TROPICAL STORM FUNG-WONG (IGME) REACHES 100 KM/HR...MAY LIKELY BECOME

A TYPHOON TONIGHT OR TOMORROW...MOVING WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD CLOSER TO

BATANES GROUP-TAIWAN AREA...THREATENS EXTREME NORTHERN LUZON.

+ FORECAST OUTLOOK: FUNG-WONG is expected to resume moving Westward for

the next 24 hours and shall become a Typhoon tomorrow morning. The 2 to

5-day long-range forecast shows the system turning WNW to NW-ward, rea-

ching Category 2 monday morning (165 km/hr) while passing to the North

of Batanes Group. FUNG-WONG shall make landfall over Eastern Taiwan,

near or over Hualien City Monday afternoon & shall cross Central Taiwan

in the early evening. It shall move out into Taiwan Strait on early

Tuesday morning, July 29, as a weakened Tropical Storm. FUNG-WONG shall

make its final landfall off Southeastern China Tuesday afternoon and

cross the rugged terrain of Fujian-Zhejiang Province thru Wednesday

(July 30). Complete dissipation is forecast over Zhejiang Province,

China on early Thursday morning, July 31. *Alternate Forecast Scenario:

There is a possibilty that FUNG-WONG may continue tracking WSW to

Westward and cross the Batanes Group of Islands or make landfall over

Southern Taiwan, if the High Pressure Steering Ridge to its NW

strengthens & become the dominant steering factor.

+ EFFECTS: FUNG-WONG's strong spiral-cloud circulation continues to

swirl & improve over the Northern Philippine Sea. This storm is not

yet affecting any land mass, but its western outer bands may start

to spread across Extreme Northern Luzon beginning tonight or

tomorrow.

+ CURRENT MONSOON INTENSITY: The Southwest (SW) Monsoon is now being

enhanced by TS FUNG-WONG (IGME) and has started to affect the whole

of Visayas and Southern Bicol Region. The monsoon is likely to reach

the rest of Bicol, Southern Luzon, Mindoro & Metro Manila late to-

night or tomorrow. Partly Cloudy to Cloudy skies with possible light

to moderate passing rains w/ at times heavy downpour & SW'ly winds

not exceeding 40 km/hr can be expected. Landslides, mudflows (lahars)

and flooding is likely to occur along steep mountain/volcano slopes,

river banks, low-lying & flood-prone areas of the affected areas.

Strong ITCZ (aka. Monsoon Trough) affecting the rest of the Phili-

ppines bringing scattered rains and thunderstorms - most especially

in the afternoon or evening.

Important Note: Please keep in mind that the above forecast outlook,
effects & current monsoon intensity, and tropical cyclone watch changes
every 06 to 12 hours!
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TIME/DATE: 11:00 AM MANILA TIME (03:00 GMT) 26 JULY
LOCATION OF CENTER: LATITUDE 21.4º N...LONGITUDE 127.4º E
DISTANCE 1: 570 KM (308 NM) SSW OF OKINAWA, JAPAN

DISTANCE 2: 570 KM (308 NM) ENE OF BASCO, BATANES, PH

DISTANCE 3: 685 KM (370 NM) NE OF APARRI, CAGAYAN, PH

DISTANCE 4: 715 KM (385 NM) SE OF TAIPEI, TAIWAN

MAX WINDS [1-MIN AVG]: 100 KM/HR (55 KTS) NEAR THE CENTER
PEAK WIND GUSTS: 130 KM/HR (70 KTS)
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE: N/A
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE (est.): 982 MILLIBARS (hPa)
RECENT MOVEMENT: WSW @ 15 KM/HR (08 KTS)
GENERAL DIRECTION: BATANES-TAIWAN AREA
STORM'S SIZE (IN DIAMETER): 740 KM (400 NM)/LARGE
MAX WAVE HEIGHT**: 14 FEET (4.2 METERS)
VIEW TRACKING MAP: 8 AM MANILA TIME SAT JULY 26
TSR WIND PROBABILITIES: CURRENT TO 120 HRS LEAD

PHILIPPINE STORM SIGNALS*:
#02 - BATANES GROUP OF ISLANDS.
#01 - CALAYAN & BABUYAN GROUP OF ISLANDS.

12, 24, 48 & 72 HR. FORECAST:
8 PM (12 GMT) 26 JULY: 21.3N 126.1E / 110-140 KPH / W @ 11 KPH

8 AM (00 GMT) 27 JULY: 21.5N 124.8E / 130-160 KPH / WNW @ 09 KPH

8 AM (00 GMT) 28 JULY: 22.8N 122.4E / 165-205 KPH / NW @ 15 KPH
8 AM (00 GMT) 29 JULY: 25.3N 119.9E / 110-140 KPH / NNW @ 11 KPH

REMARKS: 8 AM (00 GMT) 26 JULY POSITION: 21.5N 127.8E.
^TROPICAL STORM (TS) FUNG-WONG HAS STEADILY INTENSIFIED OVER THE
PAST 12 HOURS WHILE TRACKING GENERALLY WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD ALONG
A BUILDING SUBTROPICAL STEERING RIDGE EXTENSION ON THE POLEWARD
SIDE OF THE STORM. THE LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) HAS
CONSOLIDATED, AND SEVERAL RECENT MICROWAVE SATELLITE PASSES HINT
AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW LEVEL EYE FEATURE...(more)

>> FUNG-WONG {pronounced: fang~wang}, meaning: Phoenix (Name of Peak).
Name contributed by: Hong Kong, China.
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PAGASA CURRENT POSITION, MOVEMENT AND INTENSITY (10-min. ave.):

> 10 AM (02 GMT) 26 JULY: 21.5N 127.4E / W @ 15 KPH / 105 kph

:: For the complete PAGASA bulletin, kindly visit their website at:
http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/wb/tcupdate.shtml
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RECENT WUNDERGROUND.COM TRACKING CHART:

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RECENT MTSAT-1R SATELLITE IMAGE:

> Image source: Digital-Typhoon.Org (http://www.digital-typhoon.org/)
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NOTES:

^ - JTWC commentary remarks (for Meteorologists) from their
latest warning.

* - Based on PAGASA's Philippine Storm Warning Signals,
      # 4 being the highest. Red letters indicate new areas
      being hoisted. For more explanations on these signals,
      visit: http://www.typhoon2000.ph/signals.htm

** - Based on the Tropical Cyclone's Wave Height near
      its center.
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>> To know the meteorological terminologies and acronyms
   used on this update visit the ff:

    http://typhoon2000.ph/tcterm.htm
    http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutgloss.shtml
    http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/severewx/glossary.php
    http://www.srh.weather.gov/fwd/glossarynation.html
    http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/acronyms.shtml
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