Tropical Cyclone Weekly Summary #163 (September 11 - 18, 1994)
JACK
National Hurricane Center Central Pacific Hurricane Center
Naval Western Oceanography Center Fiji Meteorological Service
Meteorological Service of New Zealand Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Japanese Meteorological Agency Bureau of Meteorology, Australia
Philippine Meteorological Service Royal Observatory of Hong Kong
Indian Meteorological Department Reunion Meteorological Service
Mauritius Meteorological Service
(others may be added as they become available)
WEEKLY TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY #163 SEPTEMBER 11 - 18, 1994
North Atlantic Basin: No tropical cyclones.
Eastern North Pacific Basin (E of 140 Deg. W):
Tropical Storm Miriam: Tropical Depression 15E formed near 14N 116W on 15
September. Initially moving west-northwest, the system continued this track
the next day as it reached tropical storm intensity. Miriam moved west on
17 September, then it turned west-northwest on 18 September as it reached a
peak intensity of 40 kt. At the end of the summary period, Miriam was
continuing west-northwest with 35 kt winds.
Central North Pacific Basin (180 Deg. W to 140 Deg. W): No tropical cyclones.
Western North Pacific Basin (W of 180 Deg. W):
Typhoon Kinna: At the start of the summary period, Kinna was east of
Japan and moving north-northeast with 70 kt winds. Kinna continued north-
northeast and became extratropical the next day near 42N 152E.
Tropical Storm Luke: At the start of the summary period, Luke was moving
west through the South China Sea with 40 kt winds. Luke continued a general
west motion on 12 September as it reached a peak intensity of 55 kt. The storm
moved across Hainan Island later on 12 September, then it tracked west across
the Gulf of Tonkin and into Vietnam on 13 September with 30-35 kt winds. Luke
dissipated over Vietnam on 14 September.
Luke is the latest in a series of cyclones to move across Hainan Island and
into Vietnam. Qionghai, China reported a minimum pressure of 996.5 mb at 1500
UTC 12 September. Bach Longvi, Vietnam reported 35 kt sustained winds at 0600
UTC 13 September along with a minimum pressure of 1003 mb. There are no
reports of damage or casualties at this time.
Typhoon Melissa: Tropical Storm Melissa rapidly developed near 9N 162E on
11 September. Initially moving west, the storm turned northwest on 12 Septem-
ber. Melissa turned north-northeast on 13 September as it reached typhoon
intensity, and this track continued the next day as rapid intensification
occurred. Melissa turned north-northwest on 15 September as it reached a peak
intensity of 145 kt. This track continued through the end of the summary
period. Melissa steadily weakened during this time, with the typhoon weakening
to a tropical storm on 18 September. At the end of the summary period, Melissa
was east of northern Japan with 60 kt winds.
Melissa was a large system with tropical storm force winds covering a 300-
600 nm diameter region during much of the storm's life. Minamtorishima
Island reported a minimum pressure of 985.1 mb at 1500 UTC 16 September, even
though Melissa's closest approach was about 160 nm. Maximum reported winds
were below tropical storm strength. Ship OYSN2 reported a pressure of 972.5
mb at 1200 UTC 18 September, with maximum sustained winds of 48 kt six hours
later.
Tropical Storm Nat: Tropical Depression 27W formed near 14N 144E on 15
September. Initially moving east-northeast, the system passed near Guam and
Saipan later that day. (The unusual east-northeast motion was due to flow
around Typhoon Melissa.) The depression continued east-northeast the next day
as it reached tropical storm strength. Nat turned north-northeast on 17
September as it reached a peak intensity of 45 kt. The cyclone turned north-
northwest the next day, and at the end of the summary period it was continuing
that motion with 40 kt winds.
Nat was still a poorly organized depression when it passed through the
Mariana Islands. Agana, Guam reported a peak gust of 33 kt at 1900 UTC 15
September, while Rota Island reported a pressure of 997 mb at 2000 UTC the
same day. There are no reports of damage or casualties at this time.
Tropical Storm: Tropical Depression 28W formed near 14N 137E on 17 Septem-
ber. Initially moving east, the system continued this track the next day as
it reached tropical storm strength. (This was assigned by the Japanese
Meteorological Agency. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center named this system
Orchid after the end of this summary period.) At the end of the summary period,
the storm was moving east with 35 kt winds.
North Indian Ocean Basin: No tropical cyclones.
South Indian Ocean Basin (W of 135 Deg. E): No tropical cyclones.
South Pacific Ocean Basin (E of 135 Deg. E): No tropical cyclones.
Disclaimer: While an effort has been made to make sure this information is
accurate as possible, it was drawn from operational warnings that may not
always agree with the best track information published after the storm is
over. Please address any questions or comments on the information this
week to Jack Beven at Internet address:
be...@hrd-tardis.nhc.noaa.gov (preferable)
or
jbe...@delphi.com (new address)
Please address any questions or comments on the digitized version or the
associated satellite imagery to Greg Deuel at the DMSP satellite archive at
Internet address:
Past text copies of the Tropical Cyclone Weekly Summary can be obtained via e-
mail. Please send an e-mail message to Jack Beven if you are interested.
Special Announcement: A digitized version of the weekly summary with DMSP
polar orbiting satellite imagery is now available via the World Wide Web (http
protocol) using Mosaic. This is courtesy of Greg Deuel at the DMSP satellite
archive. It can be retrieved by:
1. Open the Open URL window (under File) in Mosaic, then typing:
http://web.ngdc.noaa.gov.
2. Find the Home Page for the DMSP satellite archive
3. Click on Weekly Updated Items, then click on the dates given on the next
page.
4. The imagery links will be color-coded inside the summary text.
For more information on the imagery and how the digitized summary and
images can be retrieved by ftp, gopher, etc., please contact Greg Deuel
(Internet: g...@po-box.ngdc.noaa.gov).