Japan Navigational Warnings - JJC Kyodo Fax

Navigational Warnings for ships from JJC Kyodo Fax Agency as received on January 16, 2015. 

The whole message is in Japanese with name of some ships and likely their positions.

Now there are two ships that are mentioned in today's FAX. They are: (1) CS FU AN (a Cable Layer ship registered in Panama), and (2) WG MAGELLAN, a Research/Survey Vessel registered in Cyprus.

You can see pictures of these two ships here. You may find more information on these ships on the following links: WG MAGELLAN and CS FU AN

WG Magellan

The ship "WG MAGELLAN" is a Research ship registered in Cyprus. Its callsign is "5BPK2"

The CS FU AN is a Cable Layer Ship. It is owned by the "SB SUBMARINE SYSTEMS of SHANGHAI, CHINA" and was built in the year 1982.

Cs Fu An

There are in fact many beautiful pictures of these ships which are easy available on the internet.

The popularity of Sumo wrestling is so high among Japanese people that JJC Kyodo also adds latest updates of sumo matches along with the Navigational Warnings!

Alert! Typhoon Mekkhala

"Mekkhala" is an ongoing Severe Tropical Storm that has formed over Philippines as a part of the ongoing annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation, in which tropical cyclones form in the western Pacific Ocean. The season will run throughout 2015, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and October.

Courtesy: Wikipedia via NASA

Mekkhala is the name given to tropical storms that occasionally forms over the Western - North Pacific Ocean. According to Wikipedia, the name was contributed by Thailand and refers to "Mekhala", a guardian-angel of thunder in South Asian myths.

Mekkhala is expected to bring heavy rain to several parts of Philippines.

According to this Accuweather Report: by Meteorologist Eric Leister, Mekkhala continues to head toward the Philippines, putting the country at risk for heavy rain and gusty winds for the weekend.

He adds, Mekkhala formed as a cluster of showers and thunderstorms earlier in the week but developed as tropical depression on Tuesday, south-south west of Guam.

While development occurred away of Guam, rain on the northern edge of the storm brought downpours to Guam and the southern Mariana Islands on Tuesday.

Further strengthening occurred during the midweek and the system is now a tropical storm.
A general west-northwest track is expected which would take the strengthening cyclone in the direction of the Philippines.

Impacts for the Philippines are expected to begin as early as Friday night and continue through the weekend as the storm nears the central Philippines.

Accuweather report adds, "Pope Francis will be making a tour across parts of the Philippines from Thursday through Monday, and although his itinerary is already laid out, this storm could force changes to the schedule.

Some of the worst impacts for eastern Visayas are likely from Saturday into Saturday night, the same time Pope Francis is scheduled to make several appearances in the region.

Landfall remains likely in Samar, one of the areas hardest hit by former Super Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda. Pope Francis will be visiting eastern Visayas to interact with people who were severely impacted by this tragedy only a little more than a year ago.

On Sunday, the Pope is schedule to hold Mass at Rizal Park in Manila, an event that the Telegraph says 6 million are expected to attend. This location is just north of the expected track of the center of the storm and far enough west to remain out of the greatest area of flooding".

Further information and analysis regarding the developement of the Mekkhala can be found in the Accuweather Report.

I was able to spot the "Mekkhala" in the radio fax chart from HSW 64 Fax broadcast of the Thai Meteorological Department. Date: January 15, 2015 1020 UTC.

HSW64 Bangkok Meteorological Fax

Information on Mekkhala is sourced from: Wikipedia & Accuweather.com

VMW Wiluna Weather Charts

The first entry of the blog on the very first day of 2015 features VMW Wiluna Weather Charts from Australia.

Main Street in Wiluna, Australia

Willuna a small town in Western Australia,  is home to VMW, the marine weather transmitter operated by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology

The Wiluna VMW radio facsimile system broadcasts a selection of weather charts over the region 25N to 25S and 75E to 180W from 25N between 250E and 150W.

Wiluna is situated on the edge of the Western Desert at the gateway to the Canning Stock Route and Gunbarrel Highway. It is the service centre of the local area for the local Aboriginal people, the pastoral industry, mining, and many more people work on mines in the area on a "fly-in/fly-out" basis. Wiluna's climate is hot and dry, with an annual rainfall of just 254 mm (10 in). Mean maximum temperatures range from 19°C (66°F) in July, to 38°C (100°F) in January.

Wiluna - courtesy: Google Maps.

Wiluna has from 200 to 600 Indigenous (Aboriginal) people living within its community depending upon the nature, time and place of the traditional law ceremonies across the Central Desert region.

The Wiluna area was explored by Lawrence Wells in 1892. Gold was discovered in the area in 1896, and within a few months over 300 prospectors were in the area. The town of Wiluna was gazetted in 1898, the name Wiluna being the Indigenous Australian name for the area. By the 1930s, the town had a population of over 9,000 people, but World War II severely affected the gold mining industry, and many mines were shut down. By 1963 the population had fallen to less than 100. Gold mining resumed in the area in 1981.

Further information about VMW Wiluna can be found here: Wiluna Fax

These images were received on the New Year's eve from Howrah, West Bengal in Eastern India:

1. Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temps: