MONSOON AND MONSOONAL LOW DOMINATES SE ASIA

TJMA has labeled the monsoonal low south of China a Tropical Depression today. If it is upgraded to a Tropical Storm it will be called Koguma. The storm right now is somewhat consolidating and will move onshore over Hainan into Saturday emerging into the Gulf of Tonkin where it could consolidate again and intensify before moving onshore in northern Vietnam.

Regardless if this developing monsoonal low is named or not it’s going to be a decent rainmaker.

1)In the Philippines. Onshore flow around the low will bring breezy conditions and choppy seas from Palawan to Northern Luzon along the coast. A few coastal areas could see up to 100mm of rainfall through the weekend with local flooding.

2) Hainan, a popular tourist spot in China is not going to have beautiful weather this weekend. Expect heavy showers all weekend into early next week.

3) Northern Vietnam including Hanoi. The warm water over the Gulf of Tonkin often surprises us as they tend to help spin things up quickly So should be watched as well.

For now the the storm continues to slowly develop. Meanwhile another low is spinning north of Guam today and could bring some increase showers in the Marianas islands.