Tropical Storm Tapah Update #4

Issued (0430 UTC) 1230pm PhT 043014
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Tropical Storm Tapah has begun to weaken as it moves across the Pacific.The storm was last located approximately 470km north northeast or 690km north northeast of Guam. Maximum sustained winds are down to 95kph with gusts of up to 120kph. TS Tapah is moving north northwestward at 15kph.

IR Image from NRLMRY

 
Latest satellite image shows that the central convection is becoming elongated and is eroding, especially on the southern half of the circulation. Increasing upper-level winds are beginning to take a toll on the system with the core becoming weaker over the past 12 hours.

Tapah will continue weakening as it moves further north. It will still impact the islands in the Marianas, although most of them are uninhabited. Tapah should, then, dissipate within the next 48 hours as it moves into increasingly-unfavorable region in the Pacific.

We'll have another update later tonight.