Super Typhoon Vongfong, World's Strongest Cyclone of 2014; Dangerous Threat to Okinawa, Japan This Weekend (FORECAST)

As of 12 a.m. Japanese time Thursday (11 a.m. EDT Wednesday in the U.S.), the eye of Vongfong was just under 600 miles south-southeast of Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, moving northwest at 8 mph.

Maximum sustained winds had tailed off a bit, but were still an estimated 165 mph, solidly the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane, according to the U.S. military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

With low vertical wind shear (change in wind speed and/or direction with height), impressive outflow (winds in the upper levels spreading apart from the center, favoring upward motion and thunderstorms) and warm western Pacific water, Vongfong intensified explosively.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Vongfong surpassed Genevieve for the most intense western Pacific typhoon of 2014 by estimated central pressure (900 millibars). On the JMA typhoon intensity scale, Vongfong is the third "violent typhoon" of 2014, following Genevieve and Halong.

"It's safe to say Vongfong was the strongest storm on earth since Haiyan last year," said Michael Lowry, storm specialist for The Weather Channel. Haiyan killed over 6,000 people when it slammed into the Philippines in November 2013 with maximum sustained winds estimated at 195 mph by JTWC.............http://www.weather.com/news/weather-hurricanes/typhoon-vongfong-japan-threat-20141006
8/10/14
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