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Narra

Western Pacific Tropical Depression · WP182026
21.0°N, 108.3°E
Moving N at 2 mph
Max Winds
35 mph
Pressure
995 mb
Forecast Points
7
JMA Winds (10-min avg)
35.0 kt
JMA Pressure
994.0 hPa
JMA (10-min average): Typhoon No. 2619 · Narra

Summary

Tropical Depression 18W (Narra) has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and is moving very slowly. It is currently located about 134 nautical miles east of Hanoi, Vietnam, and is expected to meander within the Gulf of Tonkin. JTWC forecasts Narra to continue a generally counterclockwise loop, with an erratic track in the short term due to weak steering. The forecast track shows a southward drift through about 48 hours, then a turn back toward the north by about 60 hours. Narra may have a brief window to strengthen slightly as wind shear temporarily eases, with forecast peak winds around 40 mph (35 kt). After that, wind shear is expected to increase, bringing in drier air and leading to weakening and dissipation over water by about 72 hours. The system is forecast to make landfall to the east of the Leizhou Peninsula and dissipate by about 96 hours, in the vicinity of Beihai.
Key messages
  • Narra is a tropical depression with 35 mph winds and is moving very slowly, with an erratic track expected in the near term.
  • A brief period of slight strengthening is possible, with peak winds forecast near 40 mph before weakening begins.
  • Narra is forecast to loop within the Gulf of Tonkin, then turn north, make landfall east of the Leizhou Peninsula, and dissipate near Beihai by about 96 hours.

Forecast intensity

JTWC forecast maximum sustained winds (mph) by hour.

Satellite Imagery (IR)

Narra IR satellite
CIRA/RAMMB · 23 Aug 00:20 UTC
JTWC Warning #9 22 Aug 18:00 UTC
WTPN32 PGTW 222100
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/TROPICAL DEPRESSION 18W (NARRA) WARNING NR 009//
RMKS/
1. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 18W (NARRA) WARNING NR 009    
   03 ACTIVE TROPICAL CYCLONES IN NORTHWESTPAC
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS BASED ON ONE-MINUTE AVERAGE
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
    ---
   WARNING POSITION:
   221800Z --- NEAR 21.0N 108.3E
     MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS - 360 DEGREES AT 02 KTS
     POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 060 NM
     POSITION BASED ON CENTER LOCATED BY A COMBINATION OF 
     SATELLITE AND RADAR
   PRESENT WIND DISTRIBUTION:
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 030 KT, GUSTS 040 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   REPEAT POSIT: 21.0N 108.3E
    ---
   FORECASTS:
   12 HRS, VALID AT:
   230600Z --- 20.7N 108.2E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 035 KT, GUSTS 045 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 010 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            010 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 24 HR POSIT: 180 DEG/ 02 KTS
    ---
   24 HRS, VALID AT:
   231800Z --- 20.4N 108.2E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 035 KT, GUSTS 045 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 020 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            040 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            020 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 36 HR POSIT: 155 DEG/ 02 KTS
    ---
   36 HRS, VALID AT:
   240600Z --- 20.0N 108.4E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 035 KT, GUSTS 045 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 030 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            050 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            030 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 48 HR POSIT: 105 DEG/ 02 KTS
    ---
   EXTENDED OUTLOOK:
   48 HRS, VALID AT:
   241800Z --- 19.9N 108.8E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 030 KT, GUSTS 040 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   VECTOR TO 60 HR POSIT: 055 DEG/ 03 KTS
    ---
   60 HRS, VALID AT:
   250600Z --- 20.3N 109.4E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 025 KT, GUSTS 035 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   VECTOR TO 72 HR POSIT: 015 DEG/ 04 KTS
    ---
   72 HRS, VALID AT:
   251800Z --- 21.1N 109.6E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 025 KT, GUSTS 035 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   DISSIPATING AS A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER WATER
   VECTOR TO 96 HR POSIT: 355 DEG/ 02 KTS
    ---
   LONG RANGE OUTLOOK:
    ---
   96 HRS, VALID AT:
   261800Z --- 22.0N 109.5E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 020 KT, GUSTS 030 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   DISSIPATED AS A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER LAND
    ---
REMARKS:
222100Z POSITION NEAR 20.9N 108.3E.
22AUG26. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 18W (NARRA), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY
134 NM EAST OF HANOI, VIETNAM, HAS TRACKED NORTHWARD AT 02 KNOTS
OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE AT 221800Z IS 995 MB. MAXIMUM
SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT AT 221800Z IS 10 FEET. NEXT WARNINGS AT
230300Z, 230900Z, 231500Z AND 232100Z.
REFER TO TYPHOON 17W (SAUDEL) WARNINGS (WTPN31 PGTW)
FOR SIX-HOURLY UPDATES.
REFER TO TROPICAL DEPRESSION 19W (NINETEEN) WARNINGS (WTPN33 PGTW)
FOR SIX-HOURLY UPDATES.//
NNNN
Forecast Reasoning 22 Aug 21:00 UTC
WDPN32 PGTW 222100
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL DEPRESSION 18W (NARRA) WARNING 
NR 009//
RMKS/
1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS.
2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS.

SUMMARY:
   INITIAL POSITION: 21.0N 108.3E
   INITIAL INTENSITY: 30 KTS
   GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 134 NM EAST OF HANOI, VIETNAM
   MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: NORTHWARD AT 02 KTS
   SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 10 FEET

SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION:
ANIMATED ENHANCED INFRARED (EIR) SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS TROPICAL
DEPRESSION (TD) 18W (NARRA) WITH PERSISTENT CIRRUS CLOUD COVER OVER
THE ENTIRETY OF THE SYSTEM AND A LARGE AREA OF FLARING CONVECTION
CENTERED TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION (LLC), OVER
THE COAST OF SOUTHERN CHINA AND NORTHEASTERN VIETNAM. RADAR IMAGERY
INDICATES THE CIRCULATION IS BROAD AND ELONGATED, WITH THE
STRONGEST BAND OF CONVECTION BEING POSITIONED OVER LAND IN VIETNAM
AND WRAPPING AROUND THE WESTERN FLANK OF 18W. CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS ARE ASSESSED AS MARGINAL, AS THE VERY WARM (30-31 C) SEA
SURFACE TEMPERATURES (SSTS) ARE OFFSET BY MODERATE (20 KTS)
VERTICAL WIND SHEAR, WEAK POLEWARD OUTFLOW ALOFT, AND AN AREA OF
DRIER AIR TO THE SOUTH OF THE SYSTEM. THE INITIAL POSITION IS
PLACED WITH LOW CONFIDENCE BASED ON A COMBINATION OF RADAR IMAGERY
AND AGENCY FIXES. THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS ASSESSED WITH MEDIUM
CONFIDENCE BASED ON AGENCY DVORAK FIXES, CIMSS OBJECTIVE ESTIMATES,
AND A SURFACE OBSERVATION FROM BACH LONG VY TO THE SOUTH OF 21 KTS
WESTERLY AT 221800Z.

INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: NOT APPLICABLE (THERE ARE NO INITIAL WIND
RADII).

CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: WEAK STEERING ENVIRONMENT COMPRISED OF
A NEAR-EQUATORIAL RIDGE (NER) CENTERED TO THE SOUTHWEST AND A
SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) CENTERED TO THE NORTH.

AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: 
   PGTW: T2.0 - 30 KTS
   RJTD: T2.0 - 30 KTS
   RCTP: T2.0 - 30 KTS
   KNES: T2.5 - 35 KTS
   CIMSS D-MINT: 37 KTS AT 221752Z
   CIMSS D-PRINT: 36 KTS AT 221810Z

FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: MARGINAL
   VWS: 20-25 KTS
   SST: 30-31 CELSIUS
   OUTFLOW: WEAK EQUATORWARD

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE:
   INITIAL POSITION: LOW
   INITIAL INTENSITY: MEDIUM
   INITIAL WIND RADII: NOT APPLICABLE

3. FORECAST REASONING.

SIGNIFICANT FORECAST CHANGES: THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO
THE FORECAST FROM THE PREVIOUS WARNING.

FORECAST DISCUSSION: TD 18W IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE MEANDERING,
GENERALLY COUNTERCLOCKWISE LOOP WITHIN THE GULF OF TONKIN FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD BEFORE MAKING LANDFALL AND
DISSIPATING IN THE VICINITY OF BEIHAI BY TAU 96. AN ERRATIC TRACK
IN THE SHORT-TERM IS EXPECTED AS 18W REMAINS IN A WEAK STEERING
ENVIRONMENT BETWEEN THE INFLUENCE OF A NEAR-EQUATORIAL RIDGE (NER)
CENTERED TO THE SOUTHWEST AND A SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) CENTERED TO
THE NORTH OF 18W. CURRENTLY, THE NER IS ASSESSED AS BEING A MORE
DOMINANT FACTOR, CAUSING THE INITIAL SOUTHWARD MOVEMENT IN TRACK
UNTIL TAU 48, AT WHICH POINT THE NER RETREATS TO THE SOUTHWEST AND
THE STR CENTERED TO THE NORTH BUILDS AND CONNECTS WITH ANOTHER STR
CENTERED OVER KYUSHU, CAUSING A POLEWARD TURN BY TAU 60 AND
LANDFALL TO THE EAST OF THE LEIZHOU PENINSULA. REGARDING INTENSITY,
TD 18W IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A SHORT WINDOW FOR INTENSIFICATION IN
THE SHORT TERM AS THE VWS MOMENTARILY ABATES AND OUTFLOW ALOFT
IMPROVES. THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE SHORT-LIVED, AND BY TAU 48 VWS
WILL SHARPLY INCREASE TO OVER 25 KTS, INTRODUCING MID-LEVEL DRIER
AIR, BEGINNING DISSIPATION OF TD 18W OVER WATER BY TAU 72 BEFORE IT
MAKES LANDFALL AND DISSIPATES BY TAU 96.

MODEL DISCUSSION: TRACK MODEL GUIDANCE IS IN POOR OVERALL AGREEMENT
AS THERE CONTINUES TO BE A WIDE SPREAD OF EXPECTED DIRECTIONS AND
TRACK SPEED, ALTHOUGH THERE REMAINS AGREEMENT ON THE GENERAL
SOUTHWARD MOTION OF TD 18W OUT TO TAU 48. GFS IS THE WESTERNMOST
SOLUTION AND MAINTAINS 18W OVER WATER FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE
FORECAST PERIOD. CONVERSELY, GALWEM AND THE EXPERIMENTAL GOOGLE
DEEPMIND TAKE 18W THE FARTHEST EAST, DEPICTING POSSIBLE LANDFALL
OVER NORTHERN HAINAN AND THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE LEIZHOU PENINSULA
BEFORE CONTINUING OUT INTO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. THE OFFICIAL JTWC
FORECAST TRACK IS PLACED WITH LOW CONFIDENCE, CLOSELY IN LINE WITH
THE MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS EXCLUDING NAVGEM, ALSO CLOSELY IN LINE
WITH THE TRACK OF THE AI CONSENSUS, WHICH BOTH FALL WITHIN THE
CENTER OF THE GUIDANCE PACKAGE. REGARDING INTENSITY, THE GFS AND
ECMWF GLOBAL MODELS DEPICT DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL OUTLOOKS IN THE
SHORT-TERM, LENDING SOME UNCERTAINTY TO THE INTENSITY FORECAST.
ECMWF PREDICTS MORE FAVORABLE VWS FROM TAUS 12 TO 36, ALLOWING FOR
TD 18W TO INTENSIFY, WHILE GFS IS MORE CONSERVATIVE, MAINTAINING
VWS ABOVE 15 KTS DURING THIS PERIOD AND THUS LESS CHANCE FOR
INTENSIFICATION. THE OFFICIAL JTWC INTENSITY FORECAST IS ASSESSED
WITH LOW CONFIDENCE, CLOSELY IN LINE WITH THE DETERMINISTIC GFS
SOLUTION.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE:
   TRACK 00-72 HR: LOW
   TRACK 72-120 HR: LOW
   INTENSITY 00-72 HR: LOW
   INTENSITY 72-120 HR: LOW//
NNNN
Products not available for West Pacific storms
  • NEXRAD radar — no radar coverage over the open West Pacific.
  • Storm-surge inundation — no public storm-surge model for this basin.
  • Wind-speed probabilities — JTWC does not publish them.
  • Watches and warnings — issued by local agencies (PAGASA, JMA, CWA), not JTWC.
  • Reconnaissance aircraft — no routine aircraft reconnaissance in the West Pacific.
  • Rapid-intensification and shear diagnostics — SHIPS-based guidance is not published for this basin.
These are data-availability limits for the West Pacific basin, not omissions.

Source: U.S. Navy/Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), via the UCAR Tropical Cyclone Guidance Project. JTWC data is in the public domain. · Updated 2026-08-22 20:55 UTC · JMA analysis: Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (10-minute average winds). Satellite imagery: CIRA/RAMMB.