Mexico witnesses first hurricane of season
Hurricane Adrian becomes first named storm of the 2011 season after forming about 400km to the west of Mexico.
Heavy rains cause flooding in China [AFP] |
Just eight days after the huricane season began on June 1, the first named storm of the 2011 season developed in the eastern Pacific.
Hurricane Adrian formed on Wednesday about 400km to the west of Mexico.
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It currently has sustained winds of 130kph and is expected to reach maximum strength on Friday with winds peaking at around 160kph.
A tropical storm watch was briefly in force for the Pacific coast, but that was withdrawn a few hours later.
The storm is expected to stay offshore and is not likely to cause any significant disruption.
Heavy rain
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Pacific, we do have another storm which has developed into a tropical depression. This one is having rather more of an impact.
Tropical depression 05TD is now passing through southern Luzon. It will become a tropical storm for a short time on Friday as it moves into the South China Sea.
It is then expected to hit the southeastern coast of China sometime on Saturday morning.
The winds may not be an issue by then, but this next set of heavy rain is likely to add to the recent flooding across central and southern China.
Elsewhere, flooding along the western coast of India has also caused concern over recent days.
The monsoon rains inevitably cause flooding at this time of year to the southwest of India, but we also have a deep area of low pressure which has formed around 300km to the west of Mumbai.
This system has been meandering around a similar area for many days now.
According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre, it now seems possible that this could become a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours.
The heavy rain is now extending right up the Western Ghats. Even Gujurat well to the northwest is likely to see severe downfalls over the next few days.