Typhoon Champi May Threaten Iwo Jima

Quincy Vagell
Published: October 18,2015

• Champi strengthened into a super typhoon as of late Sunday morning (EDT).
• Maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 150 mph, according to the U.S. military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center. A super typhoon is defined by sustained one-minute wind speeds of at least 150 mph.
• As of Sunday night, Champi is no longer a super typhoon as maximum sustained winds are now 130 mph.
• Champi is expected to weaken early this week.
• Champi has now turned to the north-northeast as it rotates around an upper-level ridge of high pressure.
• The typhoon will accelerate northeast early in the week ahead, passing safely east of the Japanese mainland.
• Champi is forecast to come dangerously close to the southern portion of the Ogasawara Archipelago, including the Volcano Islands and Iwo Jima midweek. Although Champi will have weakened by that point, it should remain potent, and interests there should be preparing for the potential of damaging winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge flooding. 

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Enhanced Satellite

Champi: Track Forecast

The Japan Meteorological Agency upgraded Champi to a typhoon Thursday evening (mainland U.S. time), making it the 16th typhoon of 2015. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center followed suit in its 11 a.m. EDT advisory Friday.
Saipan reported sustained tropical storm-force winds for roughly four hours, along with a peak gust of 81 mph.
(FORECAST: Guam) 
Some Cape Air flights were cancelled due to Champi on Friday, according to the Pacific Daily News.
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