Typhoon Chaba intensified rapidly into the equivalent of a major hurricane on Saturday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Typhoon Chaba was located at latitude 20.1°N and longitude 131.0°E which put it about 530 miles (855 km) south-southeast of Okinawa.  Chaba was moving toward the northwest at 19 m.p.h. (31 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 957 mb.

The organization of the circulation of Typhoon Chaba improved significantly on Saturday.  It has a small circular eye which is surrounded by a ring of very strong thunderstorms.  Another primary band of thunderstorms wrapped around the western side of the typhoon.  Thunderstorms in the core of Typhoon Chaba produced strong upper level divergence which pumped out enough mass to allow the pressure at the surface to decrease very rapidly during the past 24 hours.

Typhoon Chaba will continue to move in an environment that is very favorable for intensification.  It is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  The upper level winds are weak and there is not much vertical wind shear.  Typhoon Chaba should continue to intensify for another 24 hours and it could reach major typhoon status.

Typhoon Chaba is moving around the western end of a subtropical ridge which is steering the typhoon toward the northwest.  Chaba should start to move more toward the north when it reaches the western end of the ridge.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Chaba could reach Okinawa in about 36 hours.  It will be a powerful typhoon when it moves through the Ryukyu Islands.