Pacific Ocean activity heats up

A total of 6 systems are now active in the Pacific Ocean, two near China and the other four in the eastern Pacific from Mexico to west of Hawaii.

Tropical Depression Lana

First of all Lana is now a tropical depression. This storm passed south of the Hawaiian Islands and has been steadily dissipating as it enters cooler surface waters.

From Weather Underground:

...Tropical Depression Lana dissipating far southwest of the Hawaiian islands...

at 500 am HST...1500 UTC...the center of Tropical Depression Lana
was located near latitude 14.9 north...longitude 163.6 west or about 410 miles east-southeast of Johnston Island...and about 580 miles southwest of Honolulu...Hawaii.

The depression is moving toward the west near 16 mph...and this motion is expected to continue through tonight. Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph with higher gusts.

Tropical Depression Lana is dissipating...and it is expected to become a remnant low later this morning.

Tropical Storm Goni:

On the other end of the Pacific, Tropical Storm Goni has developed from a tropical wave that drenched the Phillipines this weekend. This storm has just been upgraded. It is a slow moving storm at 8 knots but has been a real rainmaker.

Tropical Storm Risk:

Weather Underground:

Tropical Storm (TS) 08w (goni), located approximately 130 nm south of Hong Kong,
has tracked west-northwestward at 08 knots over the past six hours.

-snip-

Further intensification will be limited due to the systems close proximity to Mainland China. Landfall is expected shortly after tau 24, between Hong Kong and Hainan Island. Maximum significant wave height at 031800z is 10 feet.

Weather forecast for the Asia-Pacific region (Taiwan News)

Taiwan is set to experience showers and thunderstorms Monday due to two tropical low pressure systems. The first is forecast to move slowly northeastward into the Pacific Ocean from the east of the island, while the second will head for Taiwan from the South China Sea.

The second system, which has the potential to develop, will also bring rain and thundery conditions to parts of the Philippines.

The first system is now TS Goni. The second system is now known as TD # Nine and is expected to strike south China as a typhoon.

Tropical depression Nine (Reuters )

Tropical depression Nine is forecast to strike China as a typhoon at about 13:00 GMT on 8 August. Data supplied by the US Navy and Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center suggest that the point of landfall will be near 27.7 N, 121.1 E.

Nine is expected to bring 1-minute maximum sustained winds to the region of around 138 km/h (86 mph). Wind gusts in the area may be considerably higher.

According to the Saffir-Simpson damage scale the potential property damage and flooding from a storm of Nine's strength (category 1) at landfall includes:

• Storm surge generally 1.2-1.5 metres (4-5 feet) above normal.
• No real damage to building structures.
• Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees.
• Some damage to poorly constructed signs.
• Some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage.

There is also the potential for flooding further inland due to heavy rain.

Two other systems are developing in the Eastern Pacific near Mexico.