Tropical Depression — Belau, Guam

2022-10-30 to 2022-10-31 · Belau, Guam

Event narrative

On the 27th of October a circulation was located near 7N145E and was classified as Invest 94W. By the 30th 94W had moved to 9N138E. On the morning of the 31st 94W intensified to Tropical Depression 27W at 8N135E or 60 miles north-northeast of Koror, Palau.

On the 31st, IR satellite imagery showed that TD 27W to be highly sheared under

northeast winds of 35 to 50 kt at 200 mb. As a result, the low-level center was partially exposed on the northeast side of the deep convection, which is seen mainly in the southwest quadrant of the circulation over Palau. The deep convection itself is very

intense, with frequent lightning and cloud tops as cold as -91C.

These showers and thunderstorms passed over Palau with thousands of lightning

bolts detected between 21Z and 00Z or 6 am to 9 am local time. These lightning

bolts fell across the main island of Babeldaob.

Winds gust to 48 knots (55 mph) was observed at the Palau Weather Office on Babeldaob at 2150Z. Between 8 and 9 am winds gusts to 42 mph was recorded with an automated weather sensor of the Rock Islands.

Power was knocked out by TD27W and some trees were reported to be down

By the afternoon of the 31st 27W was upgraded to a tropical storm, eventually

being named Banyan. At this time the tropical storm was about 65 miles west-northwest of Koror and moving away at 15 mph.

Wider weather episode

A tropical depression brought a brief period of strong winds and heavy rain to Palau.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1062808. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.