Typhoon Malakas made the expected northeast turn toward Japan on Saturday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Typhoon Malakas was located at latitude 27.1°N and longitude 123.8°E which put it about 265 miles (425 km) west of Okinawa.  Malakas was moving toward the northeast at 11 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 115 m.p.h. (185 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 967 mb.

The structure of Typhoon Malakas is slowly changing as it moves toward the north and encounters a little more wind shear.  Malakas still has an eye, but the thunderstorms around the eyewall are not strong as they were 24 hours ago and a few small breaks may be developing in the eyewall.  There are still a number of rainbands spiraling around the typhoon.  The core of Typhoon Malakas is still generating upper level divergence.  Overall, Malakas is still a well organized, if weaker, typhoon.

Typhoon Malakas has moved around the western end of a subtropical ridge and it has turned toward the northeast.  An upper level trough west of Japan will steer Malakas toward the northeast at a faster speed on Sunday.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Malakas will approach southwestern Kyushu in about 36 hours,  It will bring strong wind and heavy rain to southwestern Japan in about two days.