Former Tropical Storm Talim strengthened to a typhoon south of Hong Kong on Sunday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Typhoon Talim was located at latitude 19.8°N and longitude 113.7°E which put it about 180 miles (290 km) south of Hong Kong. Talim was moving toward the west-northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 975 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Talim strengthened steadily during the weekend and Talim reached typhoon intensity on Sunday. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Typhoon Talim’s circulation. An eye was evident on conventional and microwave satellite images. The eye was surrounded by a broken ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in the ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the core of Typhoon Talim. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon. Winds to typhoon force extended out 20 miles (30 km) in the northern side of Talim’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (220 km) from the center of Talim.

Typhoon Talim will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Talim will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30˚C. It will move under the southern side of an upper level ridge that extends from the Western North Pacific Ocean to China. The ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Talim’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent intensification. Typhoon Talim will intensify during the next 24 hours.

Typhoon Talim will move around the southwestern part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Talim toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, the center of Typhoon Talim will make landfall on the coast of south China near Zhanjiang and Leizhou in 24 hours. Typhoon Talim will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to southern China. Talim will bring strong winds and heavy rain to Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan. Locally heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. Typhoon Talim could cause a storm surge of up to 7 feet (2 meters) along the coast of southern China. Talim will also bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to parts of northern Vietnam early next week.