WeatherFanatics: Manila Taking Brunt of Typhoon Rammasun's Flooding Rain, Wind

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Manila Taking Brunt of Typhoon Rammasun's Flooding Rain, Wind

By Eric Leister, Meteorologist

July 15,2014; 9:08PM,EDT

In the western Pacific, Typhoon Rammasun, locally named Glenda, has emerged into the South China after tracking across the Philippines Tuesday night and early Wednesday, local time.
Rammasun continues to plague the north-central Philippines on Wednesday with flooding rainfall and damaging winds. At 7am local time on Wednesday, the Ninoy Aquino Airport on south side of Manila recorded a wind gust to 113 kph (70 mph).
AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Bernie Rayno has more details on the typhoon's track and impacts:
Rammasun strengthened to a typhoon on Monday under favorable environmental conditions of warm ocean water temperatures (30-31°C or 86-88°F) and generally low wind shear.
Rammasun continued to strengthen into Tuesday with peak winds around 115 mph when the cyclone made landfall in southeast Luzon.
Damaging winds and flooding rainfall are expected to continue across the north-central and northern Philippines as Rammasun's rain bands last into Wednesday.
Impacts from Rammasun were felt across the western and north-central Philippines Tuesday night, local time, as outer bands of rain lashed Manila with 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) of rain.

The heaviest rainfall so far has totaled 150-250 mm (6-10 inches) across parts of Samar Island, in northern Visayas and southeast Luzon. Some of the hardest hit areas include Legaspi, Catarman and Catbalogan.
The greatest impacts will continue across northern Visayas and southern Luzon, close to the storm track. Heavy rain will total 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) along and near the track of the storm, including Manila where flooding will be a serious concern. Local rainfall amounts over 300 mm (12 inches) are possible.

Wind gusts over 105 kph (65 mph) are expected with isolated gusts up to 160 kph (100 mph) close to the storm track. Areas around Metro Manila are expected to be hardest hit by the typhoon on Wednesday as the center passes within 30 miles of the city causing widespread wind damage.
Despite crossing the Philippines, Rammasun remained in tact as a formidable typhoon. Now that Rammasun is back over the open waters of the South China Sea on Wednesday, the system is expected to gain additional strength as environmental conditions will offer a window favorable for development.
The typhoon will then move west-northwest across the South China Sea taking the cyclone near Hainan by Friday.
Moving over another area of very warm waters and low to moderate shear will give Rammasun the opportunity to further strengthen as it approaches China.
Late in the week, Rammasun will then bring the threat for flooding rains and damaging winds to southern China with the greatest impacts likely in Hainan, southern Guangdong and southern Guangxi provinces.
RELATED:
AccuWeather.com Western Pacific Typhoon Center
Rammasun Targets Manila; Another Tropical Threat Looms
China Weather Center
Rammasun will then track into northern Vietnam where it will quickly weaken this weekend. Even though it will weaken after making landfall, widespread flooding is expected across southern China and northern Vietnam. Mudslides will also be a major concern as the storm moves into an area of more rugged terrain.
Continue to check back with the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center for the latest on Rammasun and its effects in the Philippines and, eventually, into China and Vietnam.
Another tropical disturbance, currently to the southwest of Guam, could target the northern Philippines early next week.
Meteorologists Adam Douty and Erik Pindrock contributed to this story.

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