Typhoon Bavi continued to churn westward toward the southern Ryukyu Islands on Tuesday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Typhoon Bavi was located at latitude 16.9°N and longitude 134.7°E which put the center about 975 miles (1575 km) east-southeast of Ishigakijima, Japan. Bavi was moving toward the west at 14 m.p.h. (22 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 927 mb.
Typhoon Bavi completed another eyewall replacement cycle on Tuesday. An circular eye with a diameter of 45 miles (75 km) was at the center of Bavi’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the center of Typhoon Bavi. Storms near the center of Bavi generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon. The removal of mass in the upper levels was nearly equal to the convergence of mass in the lower levels of the atmosphere. So, the surface pressure did not change much on Tuesday.
There was a large circulation around Typhoon Bavi. Winds to typhoon force extended out 105 miles (165 km) from the center of Bavi’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 310 miles (500 km) from the center of Typhoon Bavi.
The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Bavi is 31.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 37.9 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 69.5. Typhoon Bavi is similar in intensity to Hurricane Laura when Laura hit Southwest Louisiana in 2020. Typhoon Bavi is much larger than Laura was.
Typhoon Bavi will more through an environment that will be favorable for a powerful typhoon during the next 24 hours. Bavi will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Typhoon Bavi could maintain its intensity during the next 24 hours unless another eyewall replacement cycle occurs.
Typhoon Bavi will move around the southern side of a high pressure system that is over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Bavi toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Typhoon Bavi will approach the southern Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan in less than 72 hours.
