Powerful Typhoon Doksuri moved near northern Luzon on Monday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Typhoon Doksuri was located at latitude 17.9°N and longitude 124.2°E which put it about 165 miles (265 km) east-southeast of Aparri, Philippines. Doksuri was moving toward the northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 185 m.p.h. (295 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 926 mb.

Typhoon Doksuri strengthened to the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on Monday as it moved over the Western North Pacific Ocean just to the east of northern Luzon. A circular eye with a diameter of 40 miles (65 km) was present at the center of Doksuri’s circulation. The eye was surrounded with 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 Doksuri. Storms near the core generated strong upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon.

Doksuri was a large typhoon. Winds to typhoon force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of Doksuri’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 295 miles (475 km) from the center. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Doksuri was 31.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 28.8 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 60.4. Typhoon Doksuri was similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Wilma just before Wilma hit the Yucatan Peninsula in 2005. Doksuri was capable of causing widespread severe damage.

Typhoon Doksuri will move through an environment very favorable for a powerful typhoon during the next 24 hours. Doksuri will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30˚C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Typhoon Doksuri could maintain its intensity during the next 24 hours unless an eyewall replacement cycle occurs. If the inner end of a rainband wraps around the existing eye and eyewall at the core of Doksuri, then concentric eyewalls could form. If concentric eyewalls, form, then an eyewall replacement cycle could cause Typhoon Doksuri to weaken.

Typhoon Doksuri will move around the southwestern side of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Doksuri toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, the core of Typhoon Doksuri could pass just north of Escarpada Point in northeastern Luzon. The strongest part of Doksuri could affect the Babuyan Islands and the Batanes Islands north of Luzon. Doksuri will bring extremely strong winds and very heavy rain to the Babuyan Islands and the Batanes Islands. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. Typhoon Doksuri could cause a storm surge of up to 15 feet (5 meters) along the coast of some of the islands where the wind pushes water toward the shore. Heavy rain could also fall over parts of northern Luzon. The core of Doksuri could be south of Taiwan in 36 hours.