Typhoon In-Fa Turns Toward Iwo To

Typhoon In-fa turned northeast and started to move toward Iwo To late on Monday.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Monday the center of Typhoon In-Fa was located at latitude 19.0°N and longitude 132.6°E which put it about 695 miles (1120 km) southwest of Iwo To.  In-Fa was moving toward the northeast at 13 m.p.h. (21 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 956 mb.

Although In-Fa may be beginning to respond to increased vertical wind shear, it remains a well organized typhoon.  There are signs that a cloud filled eye still exists at the core of In-Fa.  The eye is surround by a ring of strong thunderstorms.  The outer portion of In-Fa’s circulation is becoming more asymmetrical, which is probably the result of increased wind shear.  Most of the thunderstorms outside the core are north and east of the center of circulation.  There are few thunderstorms in the southwestern part of In-Fa.

Typhoon In-Fa is currently over water where the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is near 28°C.  In-Fa will move over increasingly cooler SSTs as it moves northeast.  The strength of the upper level southwesterly winds will increase as In-Fa moves northeast.  The combination of cooler SSTs and more vertical wind shear will cause Typhoon In-Fa to weaken during the next several days.  It could weaken to a tropical storm by Wednesday.

An upper level trough is steering Typhoon In-Fa toward the northeast and that general motion is expected to continue during the next 48 hours.  In-Fa could start to move faster as the upper level winds increase.  In-Fa could be near Iwo To in about 48 hours.