Typhoon Yagi hit Hainan on Friday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Typhoon Yagi was located at latitude 20.2°N and longitude 109.8°E which put the center about 25 miles (40 km) west of Haikou, China.  Yagi was moving toward the west-northwest at 13 m.p.h. (20 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 140 m.p.h. (220 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 165 m.p.h. (265 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 928 mb.

Typhoon Yagi brought strong winds and heavy rain to Hainan on Friday morning.  The core of Typhoon Yagi moved over the northeastern part of Hainan.  A small circular eye was present at the center of Yagi’s circulation.  The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  The strongest winds moved over the northern coastal regions of Hainan.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the core of Yagi’s circulation.  Storms dropped heavy rain on Hainan and southern China.

The formation of concentric eyewalls on Thursday caused the size of Typhoon Yagi’s circulation to increase.  Winds to typhoon force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Yagi’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 185 miles (300 km) from the center of Typhoon Yagi.

The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Yagi was 28.3.  The Hurricane Size Index (HII) was 24.9 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 53.2.  Typhoon Yagi was similar in size to Hurricane Jeanne when Jeanne hit southeast Florida in 2004.  Yagi was stronger than Jeanne was.

Typhoon Yagi will move through an environment that will be somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours.  The center of Yagi’s circulation will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  However, Typhoon Yagi may not intensify during the next 12 hours because the core of Yagi’s circulation was somewhat disrupted as it moved across Hainan.

Typhoon Yagi will move around the southern part of a high pressure system over China.  The high pressure system will steer Yagi toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, the center of Typhoon Yagi will reach northeastern Vietnam in 12 hours.  Typhoon Yagi could still be the equivalent of a major hurricane when it reaches VIetnam.

Typhoon Yagi will continue to produce strong winds and heavy rain in parts of Hainan during the  next few hours.  Yagi will be capable of causing major damage in Hainan.  Heavy rain is likely to cause floods in some locations. Typhoon Yagi will also produce strong winds and heavy rain in parts of southern China.  Yagi will produce strong winds and heavy rain in southwestern Guangdong and Guangxi.  Typhoon Yagi will bring strong winds and heavy rain to northeastern Vietnam during the weekend.  Yagi is likely to cause floods in northeastern Vietnam.  Typhoon Yagi could also cause a storm surge of up to 10 feet (3 meters) along the coast of northeastern Vietnam.