Updated Nov. 1, 2019 6:25 AM
An active start to November is expected in the Western Pacific, with new areas being monitored for tropical development.
Only a few days after Matmo brought more than 300 mm (1 foot) of rain to parts of Vietnam, more tropical downpours could exacerbate flooding issues.
AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring an area of low pressure in the South China Sea that could strengthen into a more defined tropical system by the weekend.
Whether the system develops or not, tropical moisture will swirl around the low, bringing rounds of tropical rainfall to countries like Vietnam and the Philippines.
"As early as Saturday, portions of the east coast of central Vietnam could be hit with another round of heavy rain," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk.
Given the rainfall that much of the region has had in the past few days, almost any rain amount could cause flooding, but the expected rainfall is not an insignificant amount.
"Widespread amounts of 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) of rainfall are anticipated, with a zone of as much as 400 mm (16 inches) possible," Houk added.
An AccuWeather Local StormMax™️ of 600 mm (24 inches) of rain is not out of reach.
With this much rain, flooding and mudslides will be expected, especially in areas that received 100 mm or more rainfall from Matmo.
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Rainfall amounts are expected to be less in western parts of the northern and central Philippines. However, given the recent rainfall in the area, including that from budding Matmo, flooding will still be a concern.
An additional level of concern will arise if the low in the South China Sea is able to become a defined tropical entity into early next week.
"Wind speeds of 80-95 km/h (50-60 mph) will be possible should the low strengthen to tropical storm strength," said Houk.
If the low drifts towards land, the wind, on top of the over-saturated soil, could easily topple trees. In such a scenario, travel disruptions and power outages would be likely.
This is not the only area in the Western Pacific Ocean to be monitored.
A zone east of the Mariana Islands could also spawn a tropical depression or storm by early next week. At this time, it appears that this system, should it develop, will likely only be of concern for shipping interest and stay away from most land masses.
AccuWeather Meteorologists are also concerned that the warm waters east of the Philippines may also be conducive for tropical development late next week. This could spell more downpours for the already flood-prone country.
Continue to check back with AccuWeather for more updates and developments in the tropics through November.
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