Tropical Storm Bavi continued to move rapidly toward the west-northwest toward Guam on Friday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Bavi was located at latitude 10.7°N and longitude 157.6°E which put it about 880 miles east-southeast of Guam.  Bavi was moving toward the west-northwest at 17 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. and there were gusts to 60 m.p.h.  The minimum surface pressure was 989 mb.

Strong easterly winds in the upper levels are creating vertical wind shear and are inhibiting intensification of Bavi.  The wind shear is also causing most of the thunderstorms to be located on the western side of the circulation.  Thus, Bavi is not well organized at the current time.  However, Bavi is moving over warm Sea Surface Temperatures and it could strengthen slowly as it moves farther west, if the wind shear decreases.

A strong subtropical ridge to the north of Bavi is steering it rapidly westward.  Bavi could be in the vicinity of Guam in about 48 hours.  The ridge is expected to continue to steer Bavi westward after it moves past Guam and it could approach the Philippines in a few days.