Typhoon Fengshen strengthened into the equivalent of a major hurricane on Friday.  At 4:00 p.m. EST on Friday the center of Typhoon Fengshen was located at latitude 23.0°N and longitude 142.9°E which put it about 175 miles (285 km) south-southeast of Io To.  Fengshen was moving toward the north at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 949 mb.

Typhoon Fengshen strengthened quickly into the equivalent of a major hurricane on Friday.  An eye with a diameter of 25 miles (40 km) developed at the center of Fengshen.  The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Fengshen.  Storms near the core were generating strong upper level divergence which was pumping mass away to the northeast of the typhoon.

The circulation around Typhoon Fengshen increased in size on Friday.  Winds to typhoon force extended out 40 miles (65 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (225) km from the center.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Fengshen was 23.6.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 11.2 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 34.8.

Typhoon Fengshen may have reached its peak intensity.  Fengshen will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28°C.  So, there will be suffiicient energy in the upper levels of the Western Pacific to support intensification.  However, a large upper level trough southwest of Japan will move toward Fengshen.  The trough will produce strong southwesterly winds which will blow toward the top of the typhoon.  Those winds will cause moderate to strong vertical wind shear and the shear will cause Typhoon Fengshen to being to weaken.

A ridge of high pressure east of Typhoon Fengshen and the upper level trough southwest of Japan will interact to steer the typhoon toward the northeast during the weekend.  On its anticipated track the core of Typhoon Fengshen which contains the strongest winds will pass southeast of Iwo To.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Kalmaegi moved very slowly toward northern Luzon.  At 4:00 p.m. EST on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Kalmaegi was located at latitude 16.0°N and longitude 125.9°E which put it about 345 miles (555 km) southeast of Aparri, Philippines.  Kalmaegi was moving toward the west at 2 m.p.h. (3 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.