Severe Tropical Storm Penny (9803) 7-11/8/1998 A tropical depression named Penny formed about 470 km east-northeast of Manila on 7 August. It adopted a west-northwestward course and traversed the northern part of Luzon the next day. Upon entering the South China Sea, Penny intensified gradually and became a severe tropical storm on 10 August. Heading towards the coast of western Guangdong, Penny weakened into a tropical storm the next morning before making landfall. Moving further inland, it degenerated into an area of low pressure that night. In Hong Kong the Standby Signal No. 1 was hoisted at 6.35 a.m. on 9 August when Penny was about 600 km to the southeast. As Penny came nearer to Hong Kong, easterly winds strengthened gradually and the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 was hoisted at 10.45 p.m. that night. Maximum hourly winds of over 45 km/h were recorded at Cheung Chau and Waglan Island the next morning. The outer rainbands associated with Penny also brought squally showers to Hong Kong. Penny was closest to Hong Kong around noon on 10 August when it was about 240 km to the south-southwest. It then moved away and headed towards the coast of western Guangdong. All tropical cyclone warning signals were lowered at 7.45 p.m. that evening. At the Hong Kong Observatory headquarters, the lowest hourly sea-level pressure of 1 005.1 hPa was recorded at 3.00 p.m. on 10 August. Locally, squally showers associated with Penny caused two road accidents. One old man was killed and another man was injured.
Credits to all.
