A new tropical storm has formed east of Guam.  At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Vongfong was located at latitude 9.1°N and longitude 156.3°E which put it about 820 miles east-southeast of Saipan.  Vongfong was moving toward the west-northwest at 15 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. and there were gusts to 65 m.p.h.

Vongfong is being steered by the same subtropical high that is also steering Typhoon Phanfone.  Clockwise flow around the southern portion of the high should keep Vongfong moving toward the west-northwest for the next several days.

Vongfong is over warm Sea Surface Temperatures and it has well developed upper level outflow.  The favorable environment should allow Vongfong to intensify and it is likely to become a typhoon during the weekend.  The projected path of Vongfong would take it near or just to the north of Guam in about 48 to 72 hours.