Artist / Photographer: visionFez
Typhoon Melor (Quedan)On sep. 28, an area of convectional cloudiness formed 370 km (250 mi) to the northeast of Pohnpei. Satellite imagery showed a Low Level Circulation Centre had begun to form. On the evening of sep. 28, due to a TUTT that was providing good outflow for the system and low level vertical wind shear with a favorable environment, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert. Early on sep. 29, both JMA and JTWC upgraded the system into a tropical depression. Early on sep. 30, JMA reported that the depression had intensified into a tropical storm and assigned its international designated name, Melor. At the same time JTWC also classified the depression as a tropical storm. Early on Oct. 1, Melor intensified further from a severe tropical storm into a typhoon. Intensification continued, and by the afternoon of the same day the JTWC reported that Melor had intensified into a Category 1-equivalent typhoon. In just four hours, it intensified rapidly to a Category 3-equivalent typhoon, and continued to track towards northeast Luzon. Early on Oct. 2, it strengthened to a Category 4-equivalent typhoon. After levelling out in intensity, it strengthened again on Oct. 3. Early Oct. 4, JTWC reported that Melor had intensified to a Category-5 equivalent super typhoon, with JMA reporting a central pressure of 910 hPa and winds of 205 km/h. On Oct. 5 PAGASA allocated the name Quedan as the storm moved into their area of responsibility.
2009 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 2009 (3 years ago) Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it runs year-round in 2009 (3 years ago), but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and west of the International Date Line. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 2009 (3 years ago) Pacific hurricane season. Tropical storms formed in the entire Western North Pacific basin are assigned a name by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Tropical depressions formed in this basin are given a number with a "W" suffix by the United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center. In addition, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigns names to tropical cyclones (including tropical depressions) that enter or form in the Philippine area of responsibility. These names, however, are not in common use outside of the Philippines.
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