The feeble storm Hagupit is expected to hit Vietnam in less than 18 hours. At the time of landfall, the system is expected to have been further weakened into a depression, with wind speed ranging from 50 to 55 kmph.
Despite being a fading storm, Hagupit will still bring torrential rain over Vietnam and adjoining region of Laos. However, wind speed will not be much.
December 10: Tropical Storm Hagupit, which is prevailing over South China Sea, is gradually inching closer to Vietnam. However, the system has been showing signs of weakening and is presently centered at 13.7°N latitude and 120°E longitude, with sustained wind speed of 85 kmph.
According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, the system is likely to hit south-central coast of Vietnam as a feeble storm during the next 36 hours. After making a landfall, Hagupit will further weaken into a low pressure area but will give good amount of rain across Vietnam and adjoining Laos.
December 9: Tropical Storm Hagupit passed through Manila during the early hours of Tuesday morning and has finally moved away from Philippines. The system is currently lying over South China Sea and is centered at 13.5°N latitude and 120°E longitude.
According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, heavy rains were recorded over the areas across south and east of Manila.
The system is now showing west-southwestward trend and will continue to move in the same direction, however with reduced strength. As per Skymet, Hagupit is expected to reach southern Vietnam as a weak tropical storm by Friday.
The former super typhoon, Hagupit, made at least four landfalls in Philippines, two as a typhoon and other two as a tropical storm, killing at least 27 people. However, Hagupit was not as strong as Typhoon Haiyan, which killed thousands of people last year.
December 8: Typhoon Hagupit has now weakened into a Tropical Storm and is heading towards Philippines' capital Manila. Hagupit is expected to reach the city in the next 24 hours, with wind speed of 85 kmph.
Meanwhile, the capital city is bracing for possible flash floods, landslides, and storm surges of up to two meters. Thousands of people living along the coast have been evacuated.
According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, after hitting Manila the system would move into South China Sea, where it would travel in cold waters and weaken further. Thereafter, Tropical Storm Hagupit is expected to hit Vietnam in next two to three days, however with reduced intensity.
At least 21 people were killed, when Super Typhoon Hagupit made landfall on the coast of island nation in the wee hours of December 7.
December 7: Super Typhoon Hagupit hit the coast of Samar Island in Philippines during the wee hours of Sunday. At the time of landfall, Hagupit sustained wind speed of 210 kmph.
The system brought heavy rain and strong winds to the town, uprooting trees and electricity poles. As per reports, Bororgan recorded 395 mm of rain in the span of last 24 hours.
Thousands of people have been shifted to shelter homes and no casualties have been reported so far.
Typhoon Hagupit has now weakened slightly an has wind speed of 160 kmph gusting upto 195 kmph. However, heavy rain will continue to batter the region, increasing fears of flooding and landslides.
According to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, about 40 million people are in the path of the storm's winds. Armed forces and disaster management teams have been deployed across the affected region, so that emergency services could be carried out without any delay.
As per the forecast by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, as the Typhoon Hagupit starts moving over the land, it will continue to weaken. The system would continue to move in a west-northwest direction and would reach Manila by Monday but with reduced intensity. The wind speed during this time is expected to be 135 kmph.
After crossing Manila the system is likely to move in a west-southwest direction and finally enter the South China Sea.
December 6: Super Typhoon Hagupit is currently positioned at 12.2° N Latitude and 127.4° E Longitude, about 740 km east/southeast of Manila. The super typhoon is moving in the westward direction at a speed 10 kmph. The typhoon is currently maintaining a wind speed of around 210 kmph gusting to 240 kmph, making it a CAT IV storm.
As it moves closer to Philippines, it will reduce in intensity and become a CAT III storm. It is expected to make landfall in Philippines in the early hours of December 7, as a CAT III storm with wind speed of 140 kmph gusting to 170 kmph.
After making landfall, the system would continue to move in a west-northwest direction towards Manila. Thereafter, the system would further reduce in intensity and become a CAT I storm. After crossing Manila the system is likely to move in a west-southwest direction finally enter the South China Sea.
People in the area have been evacuated and sent to higher grounds to avoid storm surge. People have also been advised to take precautionary measures in the wake of this Typhoon. Although the Typhoon will reduce in intensity, it will have enough strength to cause immense loss of life and property.
December 5: One of the strongest typhoon of this season Hagupit, is now centered in the open waters of the Pacific stationed at 12° N and 129° E. The system had become a super typhoon (CAT V) yesterday but has weakened to CAT IV right now. As the storm moves towards relatively cooler waters, it will weaken further. By the time it makes landfall in Philippines, it will be reduced to a CAT I typhoon.
Despite wearing out in terms of intensity, the system has enough potential to cause enormous damage to both life & property. Thus areas in the region have been alerted and the people are shifting towards safer zones like central & north Philippines. The system is currently moving West/Northwest direction at a speed of 15 kmph. It has a wind-speed of 230 kmph, gusting up to 280 kmph.
The basic condition for the sustenance of any storm requires sea surface temperatures (SST) to be at 26°C or above. While the SST in the region is relatively low, it is still good enough to sustain Hagupit.
Hagupit is quite similar to typhoon Haiyan which struck the region around November 6 last year. Haiyan however struck with more power and had caused a lot of damage. The Hagupit system is expected to drift towards the South-China sea after crossing Philippines.