Typhoon Halong

Typhoon Halong, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Jose, was an intense Typhoon in the Western Pacific basin in August 2014. It was the twelfth named storm and the fifth typhoon of the 2014 Pacific typhoon season. The storm reached its maximum intensity as a Category 5 super typhoon, making it the fifth strongest storm of the season, surpassed by Genevieve, Vongfong, Nuri and Hagupit. Meteorological history On July 26, JMA monitored a low-pressure area near Chuuk. The system stalled for a few days and was upgraded into a tropical depression on July 27. Early on July 29, the depression showed signs of intensification and with that, JTWC upgraded it to Tropical Storm 11W. Later that day, JMA upgraded 11W to Tropical Storm Halong. In the same time Halong started developing a small, unclear eye. With this, gale and typhoon force winds were reported over Guam. Very late on July 30, JMA upgraded Halong to a severe tropical storm. The next day, both agencies upgraded it to a minimal typhoon. In the same time, Halong started its rapid deepening phase. On August 2, Halong's eye developed clearer than before as the system underwent explosive intensification from a category 1 typhoon to a Category 3 in less than 24 hours. Rapid deepening continued and it eventually became a category 5 super typhoon, with pressure dropping from 980 to 925 mbar in 48 hours. However, late that day, JMA revised Typhoon Halong's minimum pressure to 920 mbar. On August 4, Halong weakened to a category 4 typhoon, due to it undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle. The next day, Halong weakened to a minimal typhoon, although it was a deep typhoon due to its pressure. In the same day, its convection was steadily weakening.