Tropical Storm Fengshen moved over the South China Sea on Sunday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Fengshen was located at latitude 17.6°N and longitude 117.0°E which put the center about 405 miles (665 km) south-southeast of Hong Kong.  Fengshen was moving toward the northwest at 20 m.p.h. (32 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 998 mb.

Tropical Storm Fengshen started to strengthen after it moved over the South China Sea on Sunday.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the eastern side of the center of Fengshen’s circulation.  Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Tropical Storm Fengshen.  Storms near the center of Fengshen generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease slowly.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Fengshen was relatively symmetrical.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 115 miles (185 km) from the center of Fengshen’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Fengshen will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Fengshen will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move under the middle of an upper level ridge that is over the South China Sea.  The upper level winds are weak near the middle of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear.  There is drier air to the northwest of Fengshen, but the drier air is likely to remain outside of the tropical storm on Monday.  Tropical Storm Fengshen will intensify during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Storm Fengshen will move around the southern side of a high pressure system that is over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Fengshen toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Fengshen will move toward Hainan.