Former Tropical Storm Dolphin rapidly intensified to a typhoon on Monday night as it moved over the Western North Pacific Ocean southeast of Wake Island.  At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Typhoon Dolphin was located at latitude 13.4°N and longitude 171.2°E which put the center about 535 miles (860 km) southeast of Wake Island.  Dolphin was moving toward the west at 13 m.p.h. (21km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 980 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Dolphin rapidly intensified to a typhoon on Monday night.  A very small circular eye formed at the center of Dolphin’s circulation.  The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms.  The strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the core of Typhoon Dolphin.  Storms near the core of Dolphin generated strong upper level divergence that pumped large amounts of mass from the typhoon.  The removal of large amounts of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease rapidly.

The circulation around Typhoon Dolphin was small.  Winds to typhoon force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of Dolphin’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of Typhoon Dolphin.

Typhoon Dolphin will move through an environment that will be very favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Dolphin 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 Western North Pacific Ocean.  The upper level winds are weak near the middle of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Typhoon Dolphin will intensify during the next 24 hours.  Dolphin is likely to continue to intensify rapidly during the next few hours.  Typhoon Dolphin is likely to strengthen to the equivalent of a major hurricane later today.  Dolphin is likely to intensify to the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale by Thursday.

Typhoon Dolphin 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 Dolphin toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, the center of Typhoon Dolphin will pass be south of Wake Island on Wednesday.