Typhoon Halong is the 12th typhoon of the 2019 Pacific typhoon season and is forecast to reach category three status this week. Halong developed over the western Pacific, rapidly gaining in strength with 92mph winds, with gusts reaching 115mph.

This makes Halong the equivalent of a category four hurricane according to the Saffir-Simpson scale.

As of the Joint Typhoon Warning Center’s (JTWC) latest update, Halong was located approximately 438 miles south of Minami Tori Shima, Japan.

The weather system has been tracking northwestward at a rate of 9mph.

Halong is expected to rapidly intensify into Tuesday.

Read More: Hurricane tracker: Cyclone Maha to hit India bringing torrential rain

READ MORE

• When does hurricane season end? What is ‘hurricane alley’?

However, current forecasts suggest the dangerous weather system will not come anywhere close to any land areas.

Latest satellite imagery indicates typhoon is beginning rapid strengthening with a well-defined upper-level outflow above the deep convection below.

Convective storms are gradually organising into bands around the virtual centre of the typhoon.

Also in the Pacific, the JTWC is monitoring an area 368 miles west-northwest of Puerto Princesa, Philippines.

This area of conviction is showing on animated multispectral satellite imagery as having a fully exposed low-level circulation centre, with formative banding over the northern semi-circle.

Currently, winds of 17 to 23 mph are being recorded, and the JTWC reports analysis shows a favourable environment for development.

Global models show gradual intensification over the next 18 to 23 hours.

The forecasted track of the would-be storm shows it drifting northeastward over the next 24 hours before becoming somewhat stationary in the south China Sea.

READ MORE

• Hurricane tracker: The SIX dangerous systems whirling around the globe

The potential for the development of a significant tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours is high.

Pacific typhoon season has been very active this year, with 12 typhoons and of those three super typhoons.

The four super typhoons were Typhoon Wutip, Typhoon Lekima, Typhoon Lingling and Typhoon Hagibis.

The 2019 Pacific typhoon season is currently the second-costliest Pacific typhoon season on record.

There have been 292 people in total killed this year, and total damage equals $26.02 billion (£20.14).

Super Typhoon Hagibis became one of the costliest tropical cyclones in Japanese history and even saw the rescheduling of the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix.

Hagibis reached peak intensity on October 7, with 10-minute sustained winds of 120 mph and one minute sustained winds of 160 mph.

Damage from Hagibis was reported to be just less than $9 billion (£6.96billion).

The death toll from Hagibis reached 89 total with seven still missing.

Source: Read Full Article