Super Typhoon Yutu Remains a Powerful Storm as it Tracks Toward Southeast Asia

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Super Typhoon Yutu Barrels Towards China

Meteorologist Heather Tesch looks at Super Typhoon Yutu, as it barrels towards the Philippines, Taiwan and China.

At a Glance

Super Typhoon Yutu is the strongest typhoon of record to pass over Saipan and Tinian.
Yutu is now moving across the open waters of the Philippine Sea.
The Philippines, Taiwan could be threatened by Yutu next week.

Super Typhoon Yutu has weakened slightly but remains a powerful Category 4 storm as it traverses the Philippine Sea en route to Southeast Asia. Yutu was the strongest typhoon of record to pass over the islands of Saipan and Tinian in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Yutu left behind major damage in Saipan and Tinian in what is being called the worst case scenario for the islands. For more details on impacts, see the link below.

(MORE: Latest Updates on Damage From Yutu)

Forecast

Yutu is expected to gradually weaken as it moves westward across the Philippine Sea. Yutu is expected to remain a potent Category 3 or 4 equivalent typhoon when it nears land around Tuesday.

Current Storm Status and Projected Path
(The red-shaded area denotes the potential path of the center of the tropical cyclone. Note that impacts (particularly heavy rain, high surf, coastal flooding) with any tropical cyclone may spread beyond its forecast path.)

Yutu could eventually pose a threat to the northern Philippines, Taiwan and/or China next week.

There is a chance that it will simply curl sharply northeastward out to sea, but impacts to land currently appear more likely. Check back with us at weather.com for updates in the coming days as the forecast comes into focus.

Historical Perspective

Yutu is the strongest super typhoon to pass near Saipan and Tinian in NOAA's historical database.

Prior to Yutu, only three other Category 5 super typhoons had passed within 75 miles of the islands.

The last Category 5 super typhoon to do so was Chaba in 2004.

Yutu rapidly intensified from a Category 1 to Category 5 super typhoon in the 24 hours ending 4 p.m. Wednesday local time.

Winds gusted to 103 mph at Saipan International Airport before wind data stopped transmitting as the eyewall moved in. Some gusts over 50 mph have been measured on Guam, along with bands of rain.

The intense eyewall of Yutu was clearly visible from the National Weather Service Doppler radar at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, early Thursday before the radar stopped transmitting data. There were numerous lightning strikes within Yutu's eyewall, indicative of an intense tropical cyclone.