Former Tropical Storm Co-may strengthened to a typhoon over the Western North Pacific Ocean west of northern Luzon on Thursday.  At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Co-may was located at latitude 16.2°N and longitude 119.6°E which put the center about 65 miles (105 km) west of Baguio, Philippines.  Co-may was moving toward the east at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 974 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Co-may strengthened to a typhoon as it approached the coast of northwestern Luzon on Thursday.  Numerous thunderstorms were occurring near the center of Co-may’s circulation.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Typhoon Co-may.  Storms near the center of Co-may generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The circulation around Typhoon Co-may was small.  Winds to typhoon force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of Co-may’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 100 miles (160 km) from the center of Typhoon Co-may.

Typhoon Co-may will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next few hours.  Co-may will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move under the southeastern side of an upper level low that is centered over the east coast of China.  The upper level low will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Co-may’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear. The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear may not be enough to prevent intensification. Typhoon Co-may could intensify a little more during the next few hours.

Typhoon Co-may will get pulled toward the northeast by the much larger circulation around Tropical Storm Francisco.  On its anticipated track, Typhoon Co-may will make landfall on the coast of northern Luzon near Bolinao in a few hours.  The center of Co-may will pass just west of Baguio.  The center will pass south of Vigan.

Typhoon Co-may will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to northern Luzon.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods and mudslides.  Typhoon Co-may is likely to cause widespread outages of electricity in northern Luzon.  Co-may could also cause a storm surge of up to 7 feet (2 meters) along the coast of northwestern Luzon.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, the center of Tropical Storm Francisco was approaching  Okinawa.  At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Francisco was located at latitude 25.2°N and longitude 127.4°E which put the center about 110 miles (175 km) south of Okinawa.  Francisco was moving toward the north at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 987 mb.