Complex sentence: In the South China Sea, strong vertical shear kept Thelma a minimal storm, where it weakened to a tropical depression on November 7, hit eastern Vietnam on the 8th, and dissipated shortly thereafter.
Split into simpler sentences: In the South China Sea, strong vertical shear kept Thelma a minimal storm. It weakened to a tropical depression on the 7th, hit eastern Vietnam on the 8th, and dissipated shortly thereafter.