Typhoon Mekkhala weakened on Tuesday as it moved toward the southern Ryukyu Islands. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Typhoon Mekkhala was located at latitude 21.3°N and longitude 124.7°E which put the center about 235 miles (380 km) south of Miyakojima, Japan. Mekkhala was moving toward the north at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 974 mb.
Typhoon Mekkhala weakened on Tuesday. An upper level ridge over China produced northeasterly winds that blew toward the top of Mekkhala’s circulation. Those winds caused strong vertical wind shear. The strong vertical wind shear caused Typhoon Mekkhala to weaken.
The northeasterly winds in the upper levels also blew the tops off of many of the thunderstorms in the northern half of Typhoon Mekkhala. Thunderstorms were still occurring in bands in the southern half of Mekkhala’s circulation. Bands in the northern half of Typhoon Mekkhala consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of Mekkhala generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the south and west of the typhoon. However, the removal of mass in the upper levels was less than the convergence of mass in the lower levels of the atmosphere. So, the surface pressure increased on Tuesday.
Even though Typhoon Mekkhala weakened on Tuesday, the size of Mekkhala’s circulation did not change much. Winds to typhoon force extended out 65 miles (105 km) from the center of Typhoon Mekkhala. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (225 km) from the center of Mekkhala’s circulation.
Typhoon Mekkhala will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Mekkhala will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. However, the upper level ridge over China will continue to cause strong vertical wind shear. Typhoon Mekkhala will continue to weaken during the next 24 hours because of the strong vertical wind shear.
Typhoon Mekkhala will move around the western end of a high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Mekkhala toward the north during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Typhoon Mekkhala will reach the southern Ryukyu Islands in less than 24 hours.
Typhoon Mekkhala will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to the southern Ryukyu Islands including Ishigakijima and Miyakojima. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.
Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, former Tropical Storm Higos weakened to a tropical depression as it moved west of the Marianas. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Depression Higos was located at latitude 15.4°N and longitude 141.3°E which put the center about 225 miles (360 km) west-northwest of Guam. Higos was moving toward the west-northwest at 11 m.p.h. (17 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.