Typhoon Melor intensified on Monday and it is making landfall on Mindoro in the Philippines as the equivalent of a Category 4 Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Monday the center of Typhoon Melor was located at latitude 13.0°N and longitude 121.5°E which put it about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Calapan and about 125 miles (205 km) south-southeast of Manila, Philippines.  Melor was moving toward the west at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 140 m.p.h. (230 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 170 m.p.h. (270 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 939 mb.

The core of Typhoon Melor passed just north of Samar and it quickly moved over the southeastern tip of Luzon.  Since the core stayed mainly over water, the circulation was not seriously disrupted by the increased friction that would have occurred if it had moved over land.  As a result, the core Typhoon Melor was intact when it moved over the Sibuyan Sea.  The circulation was able to extract energy from the warm water of Sibuyan Sea.  Melor was in an area where the upper level winds were light and there was little vertical wind shear.  The favorable environment allowed the typhoon to intensify further on Monday and Melor reached the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane.

The center of Typhoon Melor is making a landfall on the northeast coast of Mindoro.  Since the core of Melor will be moving over the island of Mindoro during the next few hours, the typhoon should start to weaken.  Melor will likely still be a typhoon when the center emerges over the South China Sea.  A strong surge of cold, dry air from the north will increase vertical wind shear around Typhoon Melor in 24 to 36 hours.  The dry air and increased wind shear will weaken Melor more rapidly after that occurs.

A subtropical ridge is steering Typhoon Melor toward the west and that general motion is expected to continue for another 24 to 36 hours.  After that time a weakening Melor will be steered by the flow closer to the surface, which should start to push it toward the southwest.

Typhoon Melor will bring very strong winds and heavy rain to Mindoro and southern Luzon.  The core of Melor should stay south of Manila, but locally heavy rain may be possible.  Heavy rain could also cause flooding and mudslides in areas of steep terrain.