Typhoon Chan-hom a Threat to Okinawa, Eastern China; Linfa to Impact Hong Kong (FORECAST)

Jon Erdman
Published: July 8,2015
Typhoon Chan-hom is forecast to slowly strengthen and still poses a significant threat to the far southwest islands of Japan, including Okinawa, as well as Taiwan and eastern China late this week and into the weekend.
We are also tracking two other systems in the western Pacific. Typhoon Linfa will impact Hong Kong as a tropical storm Thursday into Friday with heavy rain. Meanwhile, Typhoon Nangka is east of Chan-hom and may become a super typhoon. According to hurricane specialist Michael Lowry, this is the first time in 20 years that three typhoons have been active in the western Pacific basin at the same time.
You can read more about all of the western Pacific systems below.

Chan-hom Forecast

Chan-hom's center is now about 300 miles south-southeast of Kadena Air Base on Okinawa and moving northwest around 14 mph.

Enhanced Satellite: Chan-hom

Chan-hom is expected to continue tracking west-northwest around the southwest side of high-pressure aloft.
With the upper-level ridge extending rather far to the west over or near southwest Honshu Island, Japan, and the jet stream remaining well to the north, Chan-hom will be a threat to the southwest Japanese islands (including Okinawa), Taiwan and eastern China late this week into the weekend, possibly as a strong typhoon.

Chan-hom Forecast Path

Critical details on the exact track at this time are still a bit uncertain, and small changes in the forecast track may have significant changes in impact.
Here is our best estimate of the potential timing of the closest approach of Chan-hom (all times local):

• Okinawa, Miyako, Yaeyama: Thursday night/Friday
• Taiwan: Friday night (though the center may pass well to the north)
• Eastern China: Saturday (possible landfall), with impacts continuing near the coast into Sunday

(FORECAST: Taipei | Shanghai)
Those with interests in the far southwest islands of Japan (Okinawa), Taiwan or near the Chinese coast of the East China Sea should continue to monitor forecast updates on Chan-hom. Chan-hom may slow down and turn north once it's near the coast of eastern China, with a threat of flash flooding in eastern China this weekend.
Sunday, Chan-hom soaked Guam with up to 16 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, reported a peak wind gust to 62 mph Sunday afternoon. Guam International Airport just east of Hagatna, Guam, clocked a peak gust to 43 mph, while Rota Island measured a peak gust to 37 mph.
Chan-hom isn't the only system we are tracking in the western Pacific.
(MORE: Up to Five Pacific Storms Possible)

Western Pacific Basin Satellite Image

Tracking Linfa and Nangka

Linfa has defied previous forecasts of its demise after dumping locally heavy rainfall over the northern Philippines, and will now curl northwest, then west into far southeast China, with a threat of heavy rain and flash flooding for areas not far from Hong Kong through late this week. Linfa strengthened into a typhoon early Thursday (local time), but will likely weaken to a tropical storm by the time it passes near Hong Kong.
Typhoon Nangka has intensified to a Category 4 equivalent storm well east of Chan-hom. Nangka will pass well north of Guam late Thursday, possibly as a super typhoon (150+ mph winds). Nangka may then curl toward Iwo Jima (Iwo To) early next week. It remains too soon to tell whether Nangka may eventually pose a threat to mainland Japan later next week.
Meteorologist Chris Dolce contributed to this report.

MORE: Super Typhoon Maysak Images (March-April 2015)