Typhoon Fung-wong moved over the South China Sea on Monday.  At 10:00 a.m. EST on Monday the center of Typhoon Fung-wong was located at latitude 18.8°N and longitude 118.4°E which put the center about 285 miles (460 km) south-southwest of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.  Fung-wong was moving toward the north-northwest at 11 m.p.h. (17 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 969 mb.

Typhoon Fung-wong was weakening as it moved over the South China Sea on Monday.  Even though Fung-wong was weakening, thunderstorms were still developing near the center of Fung-wong’s circulation.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Typhoon Fung-wong.  Storms near the center of Fung-wong continued to generate upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon.  However, the removal of mass in the upper levels of the atmosphere was less than the convergence of mass in the lower levels.  So, the surface pressure was increasing.

The circulation around Typhoon Fung-wong was large.  Winds to typhoon force extended out 100 miles (160 km) from the center of Fun-wong’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 300 miles (485 km) from the center of Typhoon Fung-wong.

Typhoon Fung-wong will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Fung-wong will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C.  It will move under the western end of an upper level ridge that is over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The upper level ridge will produce southerly winds that will blow toward the top of Fung-wong’s circulation.  Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase.  In addition, drier air from Asia is over the South China Sea.  The drier air will gradually get pulled into the circulation around Fung-wong.  More vertical wind shear and drier air will cause Typhoon Fung-wong to weaken slowly during the next 24 hours.

Typhoon Fung-wong will move around the western end of a high pressure system that is over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Fung-wong toward the north during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Typhoon Fung-wong will move toward Taiwan.

Typhoon Fung-wong is likely to weaken to a tropical storm before it reaches Taiwan.  Fung-wong will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to Taiwan.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.