Former Tropical Storm Ewiniar rapidly intensified to a typhoon east of Luzon on Sunday. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Typhoon Ewiniar was located at latitude 15.2°N and longitude 122.5°E which put it about 125 miles (200 km) east-northeast of Manila, Philippines. Ewiniar was moving toward the northeast at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 115 m.p.h. (185 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 966 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Ewiniar rapidly intensified to a typhoon after it moved east of Luzon on Sunday. A very small eye with a diameter of 5 miles (8 km) formed at the center of Typhoon Ewiniar. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the center of Ewiniar’s circulation. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease rapidly.

The circulation around Typhoon Ewiniar was small. Winds to typhoon force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of Ewiniar’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles (95 km) from the center of circulation.

Typhoon Ewiniar will move through an environment that will be very favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Ewiniar will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 31°C. It will move under the western part of an upper level ridge over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The upper level ridge will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Ewiniar’s circulation. The winds in the lower levels of the atmosphere will also blow from the southwest and there will be little vertical wind shear. Typhoon Ewiniar is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours. Ewiniar could continue to intensify rapidly. If the inner end of a rainband wraps around the existing eye and eyewall, then an eyewall replacement cycle could interrupt the intensification.

Typhoon Ewiniar will move around the western end of a high pressure system that is east of the Philippines. The high pressure system will steer Ewiniar toward the northeast during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Typhoon Ewiniar will move farther away from Luzon during the next 24 hours. Ewiniar will pass southeast of the Ryukyu Islands during the early part of next week.

Typhoon Ewiniar will continue to produce strong winds and locally heavy rain in Luzon until it moves farther to the northeast. Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.