Initially it was disorganized due to hostile conditions, and it failed to intensify significantly before crossing the Philippine island of Luzon.

Soon after it dissipated, the storm dropped heavy rainfall across the region, causing one traffic accident in Hong Kong and killing twelve people due to landslides.

On August 8, an area of convection, or thunderstorms, formed to the west-northwest of Palau, with a weak circulation connected to the monsoon trough.

[1] Upon developing, the depression was located in an area of weak steering currents,[3] still connected to the monsoon rough,[1] and it moved slowly to the west-northwest.

[3] With a fully exposed circulation,[1] the depression made landfall at 0800 UTC on August 13 near Infanta on the Philippine island of Luzon.

[3] The remnants continued westward into the South China Sea, and PAGASA and JMA both discontinued advisories early on August 14.

However, on August 15, a tropical depression re-developed halfway between Vietnam and the Philippines, with a circulation exposed from the convection due to moderate wind shear.

[1] As a result, the JMA upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Vongfong early on August 18, still in the central South China Sea.

[3] By that time, the storm was near Hainan, and at 1240 UTC that day, Vongfong made landfall in southern China near Wuchuan, Guangdong.

[11] On August 17, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) issued standby signal number 1 due to the storm's reformation in the South China Sea.

[12] In Hainan, the threat from Vongfong prompted officials to close the primary airport and to restrict sea traffic with Guangdong.

[1][nb 6] In the midst of a deadly flooding season across China, including Tropical Storm Kammuri that affected the region only 12 days earlier,[16] Vongfong brought additionally heavy rainfall to southwestern China; totals in Guangdong peaked at 222.6 mm (8.76 in) in Zhanjiang, and in Guangxi, rainfall reached 124 mm (4.9 in) in a nine-hour period in Bobai County.