Typhoon Doksuri moved over the Taiwan Strait on Thursday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Typhoon Doksuri was located at latitude 22.3°N and longitude 119.0°E which put it about 170 miles (275 km) south-southeast of Xiamen China. Doksuri was moving toward the north-northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 943 mb.
Radar images from Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau showed clearly that there were concentric eyewalls at the core of Typhoon Doksuri. A small circular eye with a diameter of 7 miles (11 km) was at the center of Doksuri’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. The inner eyewall was surrounded by a relatively clear area, sometimes called a moat. A much larger, outer eyewall with a diameter of 60 miles (95 km) surrounded the inner eyewall and the moat. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the concentric eyewalls. Storms in the concentric eyewalls generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon.
Both the inner and outer eyewalls of Typhoon Doksuri were over the Taiwan Strait. Mountains in Taiwan were deflecting some of the wind circulating around the eastern side of Doksuri, and the core of circulation tightened up a little. Winds to typhoon force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of Doksuri’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 160 miles (260 km) from the center. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Doksuri was 22.1. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 17.1 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 39.2. Typhoon Doksuri was bigger and stronger than Hurricane Delta when Delta hit Louisiana in 2020. Doksuri was capable of causing regional severe damage.
Typhoon Doksuri will move through an environment very favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours. Doksuri will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 31˚C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. However, the concentric eyewalls at the center of Typhoon Doksuri will inhibit intensification. Doksuri could weaken if the inner eye and eyewall dissipate. If the inner eye and eyewall remain intact, then Typhoon Doksuri could strengthen during the next 12 hours.
Typhoon Doksuri will move around the western side of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Doksuri toward the north-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Typhoon Doksuri will approach the east coast of China near Xiamen in 24 hours. Doksuri will bring strong winds and heavy rain to Fujian. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. Typhoon Doksuri could also cause a storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters) along the coast of Fujian.
Bands in the eastern side of Typhoon Doksuri will continue to drop heavy rain on parts of Taiwan during the next 24 hours. The heaviest rain will fall initially on the eastern side of mountains where the winds around Doksuri will push air up the slopes. Heavy rain could fall on the western sides of mountains when Typhoon Doksuri moves farther north and the wind over Taiwan blows from the south. Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.
Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, a new tropical depression formed east of the Philippines. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Depression 06W was located at latitude 12.7°N and longitude 137.5°E which put it about 170 miles (275 km) northwest of Yap. The tropical depression was moving toward the west-northwest at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 30 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1003 mb. Tropical Depression 06W is forecast to move toward the Ryukyu Islands and to strengthen to a typhoon.