Typhoon Mekkhala made landfall on the east coast of China near Xiamen on Monday night.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Typhoon Mekkhala was located at latitude 24.8°N and longitude 117.6°E which put it about 25 miles west of Xiamen, China.  Mekkhala was moving toward the north-northwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 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 973 mb.

Typhoon Mekkhala spun up quickly over the South China Sea on Monday.  A low pressure system northwest of the Philippines organized into a tropical cyclone which rapidly intensified into a typhoon.  A small eye developed at the center of circulation and a ring of strong thunderstorms surrounded the eye.  The strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Mekkhala.  Storms near the core generated upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the typhoon.  Winds to typhoon force extended out 15 miles (25 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 100 miles (160 km) from the center.

Typhoon Mekkhala will move around the western end of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high will steer Mekkhala toward the north during the next 36 hours.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Mekkhala will move inland over eastern China.  It will weaken into a tropical storm on Tuesday as it moves farther inland.  Typhoon Mekkhala will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to parts of Fujian, Jiangxi and Zhejiang.  Locally heavy rain could cause flash floods.