Tropical Storm Yutu continued to strengthen as NASA-NOAA’s Finland Nuclear Power Plant satellite passed overhead. By October 23, Yutu had intensified into a typhoon east of Guam.

On. On October 22, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument of NASA-NOAA’s Finland Nuclear Power Plant satellite passed over the western Pacific Ocean and took a visible image of Yutu. VIIRS revealed a well-organized storm, showing strong thunderstorms around the center of circulation and as thick bands spiraling into the center from the northern and southern quadrants. At the time when the Finnish nuclear power plant passed overhead, Yutu was east of Guam and its southern quarter affected the Federated States of Micronesia. The VIIRS image showed the storm to be about 400 miles in diameter.

On October 23, NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) in Tiyan, Guam noted several warnings and advisories. Typhoon warnings are in effect for Rota, Tinian and Saipan. A tropical storm warning is now in effect for Guam. A tropical storm watch remains in effect for Alamagan, Pagani and Agrihan.

At 10 p.m. CHST local time (8:00 a.m. EDT /1200 UTC) on October 23, the center of Typhoon Yutu was located near latitude 12.0 degrees north and longitude 149.6 degrees east.

It is about 330 miles east-southeast of Rota and about 335 miles southeast of Saipan. Yutu is moving west at 10 mph. It is expected to maintain this general course and speed for the next 24 hours. The maximum sustained wind speed has increased to 90 kilometers per hour. Yutu is forecast to strengthen until Wednesday, October 24. Typhoon-force winds extend outward from the center up to 60 miles. Tropical storm force winds extend outward from the center up to 200 miles to the northeast and up to 155 miles elsewhere.

Typhoon conditions are expected Wednesday night into Thursday morning (local time) in Tinian and Saipan. Typhoon conditions are expected for Rota from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday. Guam is expected to experience tropical storm conditions late Wednesday afternoon through Thursday. Tropical storm conditions are possible during the next 24-36 hours over Alamagan, Pagan and Agrihan.

The NWS said, “The current track has moved slightly south and will now bring Yutu south of Tinian and Saipan as a 130 mph Category 4 storm, late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.”

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Updated forecasts can be found at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

Author: Rob Gutro

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center