Super Typhoon Vongfong Eyes Japan; Could Hit Country By End Of Week

While Japan is recovering from former Typhoon Phanfone, Super Typhoon Vongfong will turn northward across the Western Pacific Ocean and bring a new threat by the end of the week.

Vongfong brought flooding rainfall and damaging wind to the northern Mariana Islands on Sunday, local time. Wind gusts over 89 kph (55 mph) and rainfall over 75 millimeters (3 inches) were common.
During this time, Vongfong is now equivalent to a category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 288 kph (180 mph) and gusts approaching 354 kph (220 mph).
Across the western Pacific Ocean, the combination of light wind shear and warm water allowed Vongfong to rapidly strengthen early in the week.
Further strengthening continues Thursday, local time.
Late in the week while Vongfong is located south of Japan, the typhoon is expected to slow and make a turn to the north. While there remains some uncertainty in the exact track of the storm, confidence is high that the powerful cyclone will track north toward Japan with the potential for a landfall in mainland Japan by early next week.
The first target will be the northern Ryukyu Islands which could begin to feel impacts from Vongfong as early as Saturday or Saturday night. Typhoon-force wind gusts are expected across the islands from later Saturday night into Sunday along with torrential downpours.

This animated GIF shows Vongfong tracking across the western Pacific Ocean. (NOAA/Satellite) The worst impacts across mainland Japan are expected from Monday into Tuesday typhoon-force winds and inundating rainfall is expected.
Many areas at risk from Vongfong are still recovering from more than 150 millimeters (6 inches) of rain and strong winds that hammered eastern Japan from Sunday into Monday as Typhoon Phanfone moved through the region.
Due to the expected track of the cyclone and potential impacts to Japan, anyone with interests in the region should continue to monitor this situation.