Typhoon Songda and new threats in the West Pacific

While Typhoon Songda is a powerful tropical cyclone, it will remain well east of Japan and curve northeast into the open Pacific Ocean this week.

Even though Songda will bring no impact to land, several additional tropical threats are already brewing across the West Pacific Basin.

The first threat will be a cluster of showers and thunderstorms currently well southeast of the Philippines.

Slow development is possible this week as the potential tropical system moves west-northwest toward the Philippines.

Regardless of development, heavy rainfall is likely across the Philippines this weekend or later next week. The potential exists for a named cyclone to move across the Philippines during this time which would result in more widespread damage.

After passing the Philippines, another window for development and strengthening will occur across the South China Sea during the first half of next week before any tropical system would approach far southeastern China or Vietnam.

A second tropical threat could develop near the Mariana Islands this weekend or early next week. Aside from the potential for heavy rain and strong winds across the Mariana Islands, this potential tropical threat is more likely to track northward toward Japan next week.