Typhoon Usagi intensified rapidly Thursday in the western Pacific Ocean and will threaten parts of Taiwan, the far northern Philippines and southern China through the next several days.
Usagi strengthened to a super typhoon Friday morning before weakening slightly to below super typhoon strength Friday night.
Latest IR Satellite Image
Usagi Forecast Path
A tropical cyclone is dubbed a "super typhoon" when maximum sustained winds reach at least 150 mph. Usagi underwent a period of rapid intensification from early Wednesday through midday Thursday (U.S. Eastern time), going from a 55-knot tropical storm to a 140-knot super typhoon in just 33 hours, or just under a 100 mph intensification, based on satellite estimates of intensity.
By Friday night, though, Usagi underwent an eyewall replacement cycle, causing the storm to weaken slightly. In addition, the outer rain bands began to interact with Tawain and Luzon, disrupting the storm's low-level inflow, further weakening the storm.
Nevertheless, Usagi is still a powerful typhoon, and it is expected to maintain a west-northwest path through the weekend
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