Tropical Cyclones in 2019 > Report on Tropical Storm Podul (1912): 27 – 30 August 2019

3.4 Tropical Storm Podul (1912): 27 – 30 August 2019

Podul was the fourth tropical cyclone affecting Hong Kong in 2019.

Podul formed as a tropical depression over the western North Pacific about 590 km east of Manila on the morning of 27 August. Travelling west-northwestwards quickly, it moved across Luzon that night. Podul continued to move westwards quickly across the central part of the South China Sea and intensified into a tropical storm on 28 August. Podul reached its peak intensity on the small hours of 29 August with an estimated maximum sustained wind of 85 km/h near its centre. Podul made landfall over the northern part of Vietnam on the small hours of 30 August and finally weakened into an area of low pressure over the Indo-China during the day.

The Standby Signal No. 1 was issued by the Observatory at 2:40 p.m. on 28 August when Podul was about 640 km south-southeast of Hong Kong. Local winds were moderate to fresh easterly and occasionally reached strong force offshore that night and early next morning. Affected by the outer rainbands associated with Podul, there were a few showers and thunderstorms in Hong Kong on 29 August. Podul came closest to the territory at around 2 a.m. on 29 August with its centre skirting past about 560 km south of Hong Kong. With Podul departing from Hong Kong and local winds weakening, all tropical cyclone warning signals were cancelled at 12:20 p.m. on 29 August.

Under the influence of Podul, a maximum sea level (above chart datum) of 2.99 m was recorded at Tsim Bei Tsui and a maximum storm surge (above astronomical tide) of 0.24 m was recorded at Tai Po Kau. The lowest instantaneous mean sea-level pressure of 1003.7 hPa was recorded at the Observatory headquarters at 5:28 p.m. on 28 August.

Podul did not cause significant damage in Hong Kong. According to press reports, one person was killed by strong waves during the passage of Podul in the Philippines. Podul triggered a tornado in Hainan, killing at least eight people and leaving two others injured. Podul also left at least six deaths and two missing in Vietnam.