Tropical-Pacific weather for Saturday, December 18, 2021
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East Pacific:
There is no discussion of the Eastern Pacific tropics at this time.
West Pacific:
Typhoon Rai over the South China Sea
On Friday night EST, Typhoon Rai was over the South China Sea and heading west-northwest.
Rai has strengthened somewhat and now has a wind equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale. The AccuWeather Local StormMax ™ for rain is 22 inches and for
the wind is 200 mph, and both have been observed in the central Philippines.
Rai is expected to make a gradual turn northwest and north as it approaches central Vietnam and then northeast off Hainan Island as it loses a lot of wind intensity. Rai will come close enough
in central Vietnam, Hainan Island and even southern mainland China to impact wind and rain on these areas.
As the center of the storm seems unlikely to reach the country, rain and wind could impact Vietnam’s coasts, mainly around Nha Trang and Qui Nhon, from Saturday evening to Sunday, according to reports.
time. This could lead to localized flooding, power outages and transportation delays. As Rai veers north it is expected to lose some wind intensity, but it can still bring rain and wind to
Hainan Island, China, around early next week.
A tropical rainstorm over the eastern Malay Peninsula will weaken over land, but it will bring heavy rains to the Malay Peninsula over the next few days. Storm may enter the south
Andaman Sea this weekend and may strengthen near the Andaman Islands early next week.
South Pacific:
No new information for this period.
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