Typhoon Maria dropped heavy rain on Taiwan on Tuesday after it brought wind and rain to the southern Ryukyu Islands.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT the center of Typhoon Maria was located at latitude 26.5°N and longitude 121.4°E which put it about 85 miles (135 km) north-northeast of Taipei, Taiwan.  Maria was moving toward the west-northwest at 22 m.p.h. (35 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 115 m.p.h. (185 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 145 m.p.h. (230 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 949 mb.

A primary rainband wrapped around the existing eye and eyewall in Typhoon Maria and the structure exhibited concentric eyewalls.  The inner eyewall started to weaken as more air converged and rose in the much larger outer eyewall.  The wind speeds decreased slowly as the inner eyewall weakened.  The concentric eyewalls altered the structure of Typhoon Maria and the size of the circulation increased.  Winds to typhoon force extended out about 70 miles (110 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out about 235 miles (380 km) from the center.

Typhoon Maria was moving around the southern side of a subtropical ridge over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The ridge was steering Maria toward the west-northwest and a general motion in that direction is expected to continue for another 12 to 24 hours.  On its anticipated track the center of Typhoon Maria will pass north of Taiwan, but Maria will continue to drop heavy rain over Taiwan.  Maria will make landfall on the east coast of China near Fuding during the next 6 to 12 hours.  The typhoon will bring gusty winds, a storm surge and heavy rain to Zhejiang province in eastern China.  The heavy rain could cause flash floods.