Tropical Storm Danas formed over the South China Sea southwest of Taiwan on Friday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Danas was located at latitude 20.2°N and longitude 117.3°E which put the center about 265 miles (430 km) southwest of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.  Danas was moving toward the west at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 994 mb.

A low pressure system over the South China Sea southwest of Taiwan strengthened on Friday and the Japan Meteorological Agency designated the system as Tropical Storm Danas.

The distribution of thunderstorms in Tropical Storm Danas was asymmetrical.  Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the southern half of Danas’ circulation.  Bands in the northern half of Tropical Storm Danas consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of Danas generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the south of the tropical storm.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Danas was small.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Danas’ circulation.

Tropical Storm Danas will move through an environment mostly favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Danas will move over water where where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move under the southern part of an upper level ridge over eastern China.  The upper level ridge will produce northeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Danas’ circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Tropical Storm Danas will intensify during the next 24 hours.  Danas could strengthen to a typhoon during the weekend,

Tropical Storm Danas will move around the western end of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Danas toward the north during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track,  Tropical Storm Danas will move toward the Taiwan Strait.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Mun continued to meander southeast of Japan.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Mun was located at latitude 30.8°N and longitude 146.3°E which put the center about 485 miles (780 km) southeast of Tokyo, Japan.  Mun was moving toward the northeast at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 985 mb.