Tropical Storm Pakhar Update #7

Tropical Storm Pakhar continues to weaken as it moves closer to the Vietnamese Coast. It was last located approximately 300km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City and is moving westward at 5kph. Maximum sustained winds have dropped to 75kph gusting to 100kph.

IR Image from NRLMRY

Infra-red image above shows the central dense overcast continues to flare up. However, the system is now looking ragged and microwave images also show banding beginning to weaken. Nevertheless, Pakhar is now bringing rains across parts of Southern Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh Airport is now reporting light rains. Areas just north have actually reported 100mm of rain already. Rain will continue for the next 12 hours or so as Pakhar makes landfall later today.

Due to the track being further south, we are now forecasting a landfall at or near Ho Chi Minh in about 3-6 hours. It will then start turning more northwestward, crossing into Cambodia later tonight. Pakhar could pass within 100km east of Phnom Penh as a tropical depression. As it moves further inland, Pakhar is expected to dissipate by Monday morning.

Our next update will be later this afternoon.
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Issued (22 UTC) 6am PhT 040112