Tropical Storm Usagi (2018)

Severe Tropical Storm Usagi, known in the Philippines as Tropical Depression Samuel, was a tropical storm that made landfall on Southern Vietnam in late November 2018, causing severe damage around Ho Chi Minh City. The storm formed from a disturbance in the Central Pacific basin on November 3, but did not develop into a tropical storm until almost three weeks later, on November 21, after making landfall on Biliran, Philippines. While never considered as a typhoon by the JMA, Usagi underwent rapid intensification and peaked as a Category 2 typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson scale before making its final landfall on Vũng Tàu, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province as a weakening tropical storm on November 25. Usagi caused one death and ₱52.2 million (US$994,000) in damages in the Philippines, most of which came from agriculture. Usagi caused 3 deaths and ₫925 billion (US$39.5 million) in damages in Vietnam.

Tropical Storm Usagi
Severe tropical storm (JMA scale)
Category 2 typhoon (SSHWS)
Severe Tropical Storm Usagi at peak intensity on November 24
FormedNovember 14
DissipatedNovember 26
Highest winds10-minute sustained: 110 km/h (70 mph)
1-minute sustained: 165 km/h (105 mph)
Lowest pressure990 hPa (mbar); 29.23 inHg
Fatalities4 total
Damage$40.4 million (2018 USD)
Areas affectedPhilippines, Vietnam
Part of the 2018 Pacific typhoon season

Meteorological history
Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

On November 3, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center began monitoring a disturbance that had formed in the Central Pacific basin.[1] This disturbance soon moved out of the basin and into the West Pacific without further development on November 6.[2] Tracking westward, the system did not organize until late on November 18, when it reached tropical depression status on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The PAGASA named the system Tropical Depression "Samuel" and issued warnings for Mindanao and Visayas. Samuel made landfall on November 20 in the Philippines, crossing the archipelago and weakening slightly. Samuel began to restrengthen over the South China Sea, and was subsequently named "Usagi" by the JMA. Usagi underwent rapid intensification, and became a severe tropical storm on November 21 while moving slowly. By November 22, Usagi intensified into a Category 1 typhoon. On November 24, Usagi weakened back to a severe tropical storm as it was moving towards Vietnam due to land interaction. The next day, Usagi made landfall and dissipated afterwards.

Preparations and impacts

Usagi caused one death in the Philippines, and the agricultural damage were at ₱52.2 million (US$994,000).[3][4] On November 25, Usagi made landfall in Mekong Delta. The typhoon caused flooding in Ho Chi Minh City and killed three people.[5] Losses in Vietnam were at ₫925 billion (US$39.5 million).[6]

See also

References
  1. Service, US Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Weather. "Central Pacific Hurricane Center - Honolulu, Hawai'i". www.prh.noaa.gov. Archived from the original on 2018-11-24. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
  2. Service, US Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Weather. "Central Pacific Hurricane Center - Honolulu, Hawai'i". www.prh.noaa.gov. Archived from the original on 2018-11-24. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
  3. Amazona, Roel (November 22, 2018). "1 dead, thousands displaced as 'Samuel' cuts through Samar". Pililppines News Agency. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  4. "Situational Report No.11 for Preparedness Measures and Effects of TD SAMUEL" (PDF). NDRRMC. November 24, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  5. "TP HCM 3 người chết do ảnh hưởng bão số 9". Báo Mới. November 27, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  6. "Tóm tắt các cơn bão trong năm 2018" (in Vietnamese). Government of Tuyen Quang province. January 5, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
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