Former Tropical Storm Kalmaegi strengthened to a typhoon east of the Philippines on Sunday.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Sunday the center of Typhoon Kalmaegi was located at latitude 10.5°N and longitude 128.3°E which put the center about 190 miles (305 km) east-northeast of Dinagat, Philippines.  Kalmaegi was moving toward the west-southwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 985 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Kalmaegi strengthened to a typhoon east of the Philippines on Sunday.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Kalmaegi’s circulation.  Conventional and microwave satellite images indicated that a small eye was forming at the center of Typhoon Kalmaegi.  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 were revolving around the core of Typhoon Kalmaegi.  Storms neat the center of Kalmaegi generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The circulation around Typhoon Kalmaegi was small.  Winds to typhoon force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of Kalmaegi’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 110 miles (175 km) from the center of Typhoon Kalmaegi.

Typhoon Kalmaegi will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours.  Kalmaegi will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move under the southern part of an upper level ridge over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Kalmaegi’s circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Typhoon Kalmaegi will intensify during the next 12 hours.  Kalmaegi will weaken when it passes over the Philippines.

Typhoon Kalmaegi will move around the southern side of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Kalmaegi toward the west during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Typhoon Kalmaegi will reach the Philippines in 12 hours.  The center of Kalmaegi will pass near Dinagat Island, southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, northern Negros, and Panay Island.

Typhoon Kalmaegi will bring strong winds and heavy rain to the central Philippines.  The strongest winds and heaviest rain will occur at Dinagat Island, southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, northern Negros, and Panay Island.  Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.  Typhoon Kalmaegi could also cause a storm surge of up to 10 feet (3 meters) along the coast.