A new typhoon has formed in the western Pacific Ocean and may become a Super Typhoon over the Philippines Sea with sustained winds well over 220km/h and gusts closer to 300km/h in the coming days. Typhoon Trami is now located between Saipan and Philippines, moving westward at about 20km/h.

Central Pressure was 975 hPa earlier today with maximum sustained winds of 120km/h and gusts to 175km/h. It is already equal to a Category 3 tropical cyclone using the local Australian/Fijian scale.

Typhoon Trami is expected to track west-northwestward for the next three days then may stall or slow down at sea. Models then begin to vary. The destination has not been decided yet as Japan or Taiwan both both nations should be on high alert as this powerful storm tracks closer. Computer modelling is conflicted with GFS (US data) suggesting Japan while ECMWF (European data) suggests Taiwain. At this stage our feelings are that Southern Japan may be most in the firing line for the future tracking of Typhoon Trami. The area was only just hit by a deadly Typhoon named Jebi, which killed 17 people.

There is some positive news – the Philippines should be spared a direct hit by Trami.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the two recent tropical storms that hit south eastern Asia and the eastern United States continues to grow. Hurricane Florence, which directly hit North Carolina as a major rain and flood event now has a death toll of 45. The death toll from Super Typhoon Mangkhut is still growing and as of today was 102. 

– Story by WeatherWatch.co.nz head forecaster Philip Duncan.