Typhoon Maysak strengthened to the equivalent of a major hurricane near Okinawa on Monday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Typhoon Maysak was located at latitude 25.5°N and longitude 127.0°E which put it about 110 miles (180 km) south-southwest of Kadena AFB, Okinawa.  Maysak was moving toward the north-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 936 mb.

Typhoon Maysak strengthened to the equivalent of a major hurricane on Monday as it approached Okinawa.  A circular eye with a diameter of 30 miles (50 km) was at the center of Maysak.  The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Maysak.  Storms near the core were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away from the typhoon.

Typhoon Maysak had a large circulation.  Winds to typhoon force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Maysak.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 200 miles (320 km) from the center.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Maysak was 23.6.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 24.1 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 47.7.  Typhoon Maysak was capable of causing widespread major damage.

Typhoon Maysak will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 12 to 24 hours.  Maysak will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Typhoon Maysak could strengthen further and it could intensify into the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

Typhoon Maysak will move around the western end of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high will steer Maysak toward the north during the next several days.  On its anticipated track the center of Typhoon Maysak will pass west of Okinawa during the next few hours.  Maysak will bring strong winds and heavy rain to Okinawa.  Typhoon Maysak could approach South Korea in about 48 hours.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Depression 11W formed east-southeast of Iwo To.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression 11W was located at latitude 25.5°N and longitude 127.0°E which put it about 315 miles (515 km) east-southeast of Iwo To.  the depression was moving toward the southwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1008 mb.