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| Three in a row of tropical systems each heading west and north towards Japan. Screenshot from SuspiciousObservers video |
The first tropical storm
Tropical Storm Linfa (Typhoon Egay). continues to threaten flooding across northern Luzon Island of the Philippines. Linfa is still crossing northern Luzon and is expected to head back out over open water sometime early Monday morning, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
PAGASA still has public storm warning Signal 2 up for northern Luzon and the Babuyan and Cagayan group of islands north of Luzon. Winds between 40 and 74 mph are expected within 24 hours.
Linfa formed early Friday morning local time in the southern Philippine Sea. Outer bands of heavy rain reached Luzon's northeastern coast on Saturday, with widespread amounts of 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) of rain being reported.
Rain has spread westward through Sunday, with drenching rain persisting in northwestern Luzon on Monday.
"The biggest threat is flooding," AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards said. "Rainfall amounts will generally be on the order of 75 to 150 mm (3 to 6 inches)."
There will be locally higher amounts with some communities being inundated with 300 mm (12 inches).
The second tropical storm
The Philippines will escape Tropical Storm Chan-hom, which will eventually make a run at super typhoon status.
Beyond this weekend, Chan-hom will continue tracking to the northwest next week as the strengthening tropical system moves over the open Pacific Ocean between Guam and Japan.
The combination of very warm ocean waters and relatively low wind shear will provide a conducive environment for Chan-hom to strengthen with the potential for rapid intensification into a super typhoon during the first part of next week.
Due to the large size and expected strengthening, this system will be capable of producing life-threatening conditions within several hundred kilometers (miles) of its track.
While anyone from Shanghai to Tokyo should continue to monitor the progress of Chan-hom for updates to potential impacts, latest indications point toward far southern Japan, the Ryukyu Islands, South Korea and eastern China facing the greatest risk for destructive winds, flooding rain and an inundating storm surge from Chan-hom later next week.
The third tropical storm
On the heels of Chan-hom is newly-formed Tropical Depression 11W. This system will also track northwestward through the western Pacific Ocean, slightly more to the north of Chan-hom and strengthening in the process. Interests in the Northern Mariana Islands are being put on alert for potential impacts around the middle of next week.
