DURIAN formed as a tropical depression over the South China Sea on 30th June and moved north-northwestwards at about 12 km/h. At around 06 UTC, it intensified into a tropical storm on its northwest course, heading towards the coast of eastern Guangdong west of Macao.
Fifteen hours later, moving steadily in a northwest to west-northwest direction, it intensified into a severe tropical storm about 320 km south of Macao at around 21 UTC on the same day.
DURIAN attained typhoon intensity at around 9 UTC on 1st July about 280 km south of Macao, with central pressure of 975 hPa and central maximum wind of 121 km/h. It then started approaching Leizhou Peninsula and made landfall at Zhanjiang at around 21 UTC.
After traversing Leizhou Peninsula, it continued drifting west-northwestwards and weakened into a severe tropical storm at around 03 UTC on 2nd July before tracking inland. DURIAN rapidly downgraded into a tropical storm over land at around 8 UTC on the same day and become a tropical depression near the boundary of China and Viet Nam on the following day.
Record of tropical cyclone signal hoisting:
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DATE
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TIME
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HOISTED SIGNAL
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30 / JUN
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16:45
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The standby signal No. 1
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1 / JUL
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03:00
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The strong wind signal No. 3
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2 / JUL
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17:00
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All signals were lowered
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