Typhoon Noru turned toward southwestern Japan on Tuesday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Typhoon Noru was located at latitude 25.6°N and longitude 136.2°E which put it about 525 miles (850 km) south-southeast of Miyazaki, Japan.  Noru was moving toward the northwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 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 942 mb.

Typhoon Noru has a very symmetrical circulation that looks similar to what are sometimes called annular hurricanes.  There is a large circular eye at the center of Typhoon Noru.  The eye has a diameter of 35 miles (55 km).  The eye is surrounded by a wide ring of strong thunderstorms.  There are few bands of showers and thunderstorms outside the core of the typhoon.  The thunderstorms in the core of Noru are generating strong upper level divergence which is pumping mass away from the typhoon.

Typhoon Noru will be moving through a favorable environment during the next several days.  Noru will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  The upper level winds are weak and there is little vertical wind shear.  Typhoons and hurricanes that have an annular structure like that of Typhoon Noru tend to maintain a fairly steady intensity.  Given the favorable environment, Noru could strengthen during the next few days.

A subtropical ridge is steering Typhoon Noru slowly toward the northwest.  The ridge is forecast to strengthen and to steer Noru more toward the west-northwest during the next several days.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Noru could approach southwestern Japan in about three days.