“#JeSuisCharlie” Welcome to Thursday morning, WPAC! Winter weather continues to settle into the northern tier of the region, while the middle cools down and bit, and the south stays warm and toasty! NORTH A new, potent, storm system has just pushed off the Japanese coast this morning and, behind it, lots of colder air is filtering into the area. Residents on the continent can really feel the big chill this morning as Seoul checks in with a low of -10C/16F and Beijing settles down to -7C/19F. It’s a little warmer to the south and east as Shanghai reports a low of 1C/34F and Tokyo wakes up to 3C/37F. The large upper-level low that is poised just the northeast of the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido will drift slowly to the east, but numerous surface lows will ride along passing cold air boundaries, or fronts, doing the fujiwara dance, and keep the Siberian air pumping into the region for the next 5-7 days. CENTRAL The aforementioned storm system loses some of its punch as we head south, but the effects are palpable, with a significant drop in temperatures for the central portion of the WPAC region. Taipei residents are waking up to a much cooler morning today with a low of 12C/54F, and folks in Hong Kong also feel the changes in the air as they rise to a cool morning low of 14C/57F. As you head south, the air moderates a bit, and Hanoi sees slightly cooler temperatures as they greet the day today, settling in at 16C/61F. Those living in the central portion of the region will continue to see moderated, cooler, air pass through as the winter season continues to settle in. SOUTH Residents of the south are asking “what winter?” Warmer temperatures are in place to the south, with Ho Chi Minh residents waking up to a nice low of 24C/75F. It’s relatively cool in Manila this morning as folks there wake up to temperatures near 22C/72F. To the south, Davao residents rise to a nice temperature of 23C/73F, and it’s a warm start in Brunei as well as they settle in at 25C/77F. Warmer weather will continue for this portion of the WPAC region as fragments of cool weather systems cross the region over the next 7-10 days. TROPICS The tropics still show signs of activity in the form of 91W INVEST, located near 1.6N, 157.8E, or about 580km (361mi) SSW of Pohnpei. The system has actually drifted to the SW over the past 24 hours, and until this storm can gain some latitude, there is little risk of significant development. Computer forecast models are still showing development of a weak tropical disturbance, possibly a tropical depression, with movement in a general WNW direction. The models are generally showing slow strengthening during the next 6 days, and then a weakening phase, and ultimately dissipation, as the system encounters a continental trough moving through the region from day 6 onward. Ultimately, I am not very concerned with this system, as the moisture profile is not significant, nor are the anticipated winds. The remnants of 90W have finally dissipated as the earlier closed circulation has elongated into a trough and settled over northern Indonesia and Brunei. Continued rainfall can be expected in these areas as the system slowly pushes to the west towards Malaysia. The islands are generally warm this morning as residents wake up, with Guam reporting a morning low of 22C/72F, Chuuk checking in at 23C/74F, Yap and Pohnpei settling in at 24C/76F, Palau bottoming out at 26C/78F, and Majuro waking up to a warm low of 27C.80F. Rainfall will continue to propagate to the west as a result of the movement of 91W INVEST for the next 7-10 days, but overall, it’s a nice time for a vacation! Have a great Thursday! Courtesy: CIMSS, Tropical Tidbits, EarthWinds
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 01:08:21 +0000
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