Tropical Storm Danas to bring flood risk to Philippines, Taiwan; China, South Korea and Japan remain on alert

By Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Residents from the northern Philippines to Taiwan are being warned that a new tropical system will threaten the region the next several days.

A tropical depression formed in the Philippine Sea on Monday morning, local time, and quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Danas east of Luzon.

In the Philippines, the storm is known locally as Falcon.

"At this point, AccuWeather meteorologists believe it will remain a tropical storm and not achieve typhoon status," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk.

"Right now, the main threat from this tropical storm is expected to be flooding rain," Houk said. "Potential impact areas include communities from Luzon Island in the Philippines to much of Taiwan."

Gusty winds will also accompany the tropical system, threatening to cause sporadic tree damage and power outages. Such issues may become more widespread if the system strengthens into a strong tropical storm.

Satellite Image of Tropical Storm Danas near the Philippines on Tuesday night, local time. (Japan Meteorological Agency/Satellite Image)

As the storm moves between the Philippines and Taiwan, wave heights will increase around the northern Philippine Sea and become increasingly more dangerous for boaters and swimmers as it strengthens.

All residents from Manila to Laoag, Philippines and Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, are urged to closely monitor this system and review what preparations would need to be taken should a tropical storm threaten.

Impacts to land will increase from Tuesday into Wednesday as the center of the storm approaches northern Luzon.

A track over or north of Luzon, which is most likely at this time, will bring heavy rainfall to northern and western parts of the Island.

"Rainfall of 125-250 mm (5-10 inches) is expected across northern Luzon," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards. "There can be an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 450 mm (18 inches).

This magnitude of rainfall can result in flash flooding and heighten the risk for mudslides across the rugged terrain of the area.

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In the longer range, two scenarios are possible for the track of this tropical threat. One takes the storm near or just east of Taiwan and then northward threatening areas from eastern China to South Korea and Japan.

Impacts ranging from flooding downpours to locally damaging winds would then be possible from eastern Zhejiang to Shanghai in China to South Korea and Japan this weekend depending on the exact track of the storm.

Satellite image showing Tropical Storm Danas near the Philippines on Tuesday night, local time. (Japan Meteorological Agency/Satellite Image)

If the storm continues to track west to northwest into the South China Sea, rounds of heavy rainfall will continue to affect Taiwan and the northern Philippines into Thursday.

Southeast China would endure the highest risk for flooding rainfall and locally damaging winds from late Thursday into Saturday.

Locations from Hong Kong to Xiamen would be at risk for a direct hit from the land-falling tropical cyclone.

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