Super Typhoon Vongfong on Tuesday graduated itself into the strongest tropical cyclone of 2014 after intensifying rapidly overnight Monday.
The eye of Vongfong was just over 600 miles south-southeast of Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, Japan on Wednesday, moving west-northwest at about 10 mph.
According to Joint Typhoon Warning Center, USA, maximum sustained winds had skyrocketed to an estimated 180 mph, which is equivalent of a potentially catastrophic Category 5 hurricane. These are rated as the highest winds of any tropical cyclone since Super Typhoon Haiyan's 195 mph winds of November 7, 2013. With this, Vongfong has become the fifth super typhoon of 2014.
As reported by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Vongfong has now surpassed Genevieve for the most intense western Pacific typhoon of 2014 by estimated central pressure of 900 millibars. Vongfong is the third "violent typhoon" of 2014 on the JMA typhoon intensity scale, followed by Genevieve and Halong.
Vongfong has intensified explosively due to low vertical wind shear, impressive outflow, and warm western Pacific water. It has easily surpassed the 157-mph threshold required to reach Category 5 equivalent status.
Vongfong might strengthen a bit more, but for all intents and purposes are already near its peak intensity.
Like in the case of Typhoon Phanfone, Vongfong will also turn north in the next day or so, as it rounds the western edge of the subtropical steering high. However, a second, temporary blocking high pressure system aloft may deflect Vongfong slightly to the west on Friday through Sunday.
It is a kind of displeasing possibility, as it could bring the core of Vongfong's strongest winds quite closer to Ryukyu Islands by this weekend.
Vongfong is expected to weaken once it begins moving north this week. However it should still be a formidable typhoon when it draws close to Japan by this weekend into early next week.
Though it is still very early to ascertain specific impacts to Japan from Vongfong but at present, it appears Vongfong will end up tracking far enough west and north to at least bring some high winds, heavy rain and storm surge flooding once again to Okinawa, Kyushu, Shikoku, and at least central and eastern Honshu on Saturday through Tuesday.
