Former Tropical Storm Nesat intensified to a typhoon over the South China Sea northwest of Luzon on Sunday morning. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Typhoon Nesat was located at latitude 19.6°N and longitude 119.5°E which put it about 125 miles (200 km) northwest of Laoag, Philippines. Nesat was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 978 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Nesat rapidly intensified to a typhoon over the South China Sea on Sunday morning. A circular eye with a diameter of 30 miles (50 km) formed at the center of Typhoon Nesat. 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 Nesat’s circulation. The strongest rainbands were in the western and northern parts of the circulation. Storms near the core of Nesat generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon. Winds to typhoon force extended out 40 miles (65 km) from the center of Nesat’s circulation. Storms to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) from the center of circulation.

Typhoon Nesat will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Nesat will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move under the southern part of an upper level ridge that extends over the Western North Pacific Ocean to eastern China. The ridge will produce easterly winds that will cause some vertical wind shear. The wind shear will inhibit intensification, but Typhoon Nesat will strengthen during the next 24 hours. Nesat could continue to intensify rapidly during the next few hours.

Typhoon Nesat will move around the southern side of a surface high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean and eastern China. The high pressure system will steer Nesat toward the west during the next several days. On its anticipated track Typhoon Nesat could be south of Hong Kong within 48 hours.