Tropical Storm Linfa To Produce Heavy Rain In Guangdong

By Andrew Owen

Kansas City, July 8 (World Weather Inc.) – Tropical Storm Linfa was located in the South China Sea off the coast of Guangdong this morning. The disturbance will briefly move over the central Guangdong coast this evening and Thursday before drifting back off the coast and moving toward Hainan Island Friday and Saturday. Portions of Guangdong will receive very heavy rain as the storm moves briefly inland and then while it follows the coast in route to Hainan. Immediate neighboring areas of Taiwan and Fujian, China will also receive enough rain to impact soil conditions. Some flooding may damage rice and sugarcane that are produced near the coast in Guangdong, although losses will be slight due to the storm’s weak intensity.

At 1500 GMT, Tropical Storm Linfa was located near 22.3 north, 118.1 east or 233 miles east of Hong Kong. Movement was northwesterly at 5 mph and maximum sustained wind speeds were reaching 69 mph with gusts up to 86 mph. Tropical storm force winds (39 to 73 mph) were occurring out 65 miles from the storm center with speeds over 58 mph occurring out 25 miles.

Rain from the tropical storm was already falling from southwestern Taiwan and Fujian, China into parts of southern and eastern Guangdong, China. However, the center of the storm was still over water and will slowly advance toward southern China throughout the day today before making landfall over Guangdong late this evening and Thursday morning. Once making landfall, the disturbance will rapidly weaken into a tropical depression by Thursday evening and may dissipate to a remnant low pressure center while shifting to the west-southwest along the coast. Remnants of the storm will slowly advance toward Hainan Friday and Saturday before completely dissipating by Sunday just before reaching Hainan.

Portions of Guangdong will receive heavy rainfall from Linfa. Amounts in coastal areas will range from 4.00 to 8.00 inches with locally greater totals possible. A few rain amounts in central Guangdong will also reach up to 8.00 inches. The remaining portions of Guangdong and southern Fujian will receive 0.50 to 2.00 inches with locally greater amounts.

Flooding will be possible in the heavier rainfall areas of Guangdong. Minor damage to rice and sugarcane will be possible. There is very little risk of widespread serious damage because of the storm’s weak structure. Wind speeds will be high enough to cause minor crop and structural damage along the coast while speeds inland will be too light for damage.