Tropical Storm Jongdari gearing up to become a Typhoon

July 26, 2018, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

NOAA/NASA's Suomi NPP satellite provided a visible look at Tropical Storm Jongdari in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean on July 26. The storm is increasing its organization and will most likely become a typhoon within the day.

This tropical storm is currently located approximately 158 nautical miles southwest of Iwo To Island, Japan and is moving northeastward at 8 knots. Jongdari has a small area of deep and persistent convection located directly above the low level circulation center. Jongdari is has an intensity of 55 knots at present but is poised to move to typhoon status by the next update which should be in six hours as vertical wind shear remains low and sea surface temperatures remain high.

Within the next two days, Jongdari is predicted to become a typhoon with winds of 100 knots making it equivalent to a Category Three hurricane before it starts to lose intensity as a result of coming into contact with an upper level low. Forecasts have Jongdari making landfall in Japan and continue to decrease in intensity as it makes contact with land.