The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reports that Tropical Storm Narra is nearly stationary in the Gulf of Tonkin.
The system packs maximum sustained winds of 18 meters per second (35 knots) near its center, with peak instantaneous wind speeds reaching 25 meters per second (50 knots).
Narra—designated as Typhoon No. 19 by Japan—has a central atmospheric pressure of 992 hPa (hectopascals).
An area of strong winds (30 knots or greater) extends 220 km (120 nautical miles) to the southwest and 165 km (90 nautical miles) to the northeast of the center, the JMA stated.
According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Narra is located 235 km east-southeast of Hanoi, Vietnam, and has been drifting southward at 2 km/h (1 knot) over the past six hours.
Maximum significant wave heights are reaching 4 meters (13 feet), the JTWC reported.
The JTWC forecasts that Narra will move slowly southward over the next 24 hours, as it is situated amidst conflicting steering currents.
Narra’s actual path is likely to be erratic during this period—a behavior not fully captured by the JTWC forecast.
In approximately 36 hours, a near-equatorial ridge to the south is expected to strengthen southeast of Narra, causing the storm to turn eastward and subsequently northward toward the southern coast of China.
