Typhoon NEPARTAK Imminent July 5 In West Pacific Ocean

JULY 1, 2016

The famed typhoon season in north west Pacific Ocean is about to begin. Typhoon NEPARTAK may be spawned just west of Guam on July 5, 2016.

It will kick off as a low pressure area and then intensify into a tropical cyclone as it moves first towards Taiwan. Philippines will not be affected by this storm.

As to its intensity it will not be a very powerful typhoon in the ranks of Nuri, Hagupit, Haiyan et al. It's central minimum pressure is expected to be 984 hPa. A category 1 hurricane.

As to it's track, forecast models differ. Some predict a direct hit on Taiwan July 7 and then kissing the Chinese coast to move into Korea by July 9.

Others predict it will skip Taiwan but hit southern Japan on July 9, 2016. Affecting Okinawa and Kyushu.

NOAA's GFS model believes NEPARTAK will be still born. That it will remain a tropical depression and not intensify into a tropical cyclone.

See GFS forecast maps for north west Pacific 
Forecast maps Philippines Area