Typhoon Saudel was approaching the Ryukyu Islands on Monday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Typhoon Saudel was located at latitude 26.3°N and longitude 130.6°E which put the center about 205 miles (335 km) east of Okinawa. Saudel was moving toward the west-northwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 961 mb.
Typhoon Saudel was weakening slowly as it approached the Ryukyu Islands on Monday night. The eye was no longer visible at the center of Saudel’s circulation. Typhoon Saudel appeared to be pulling some drier air into the western side of its circulation. Some of the thunderstorms in the bands in the western half of Typhoon Saudel were weaker because of the drier. Storms near the center of Saudel still generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from 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 Monday.
The circulation around Typhoon Saudel was still large. Winds to typhoon force extended out 90 miles (145 km) from the center of Saudel’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 190 miles (305 km) from the center of Typhoon Saudel.
The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Saudel is 17.8. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 26.4 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 44.2. Typhoon Saudel is similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Gustav when Gustav hit Louisiana in 2008.
Typhoon Saudel will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Saudel will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. However, Saudel will continue to move into a mass of drier air that is east of China. Typhoon Saudel is likely to continue to weaken gradually during the next 24 hours because of the effects of the drier air.
Typhoon Saudel will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system that is over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Saudel toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, the center of Typhoon Saudel will pass between Okinawa and Amami in 12 hours.
Typhoon Saudel is already producing strong winds and heavy rain in Minami Daito Jima.
Typhoon Saudel will also bring strong winds and heavy rain to the Ryukyu Islands including Okinawa and Amami. Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.