According to the latest weather news updated at 5 am on August 4 (Manila time, Philippines), Typhoon Dolphin continues to strengthen as it moves over the Western Pacific Ocean and is forecast to go straight through the Okinawa archipelago (Japan).
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that Hurricane Dolphin is currently a very strong storm, with sustained winds of 155 km/h, central pressure of 945 hPa. Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recorded winds of about 150 km/h, and the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) assessed Dolphin as equivalent to a Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with winds of about 175 km/h.
According to meteorologists, in the past few hours, a more favorable atmospheric environment has helped the storm's core structure continue to be strengthened. Convective cloud bands are growing strongly around the eye of the storm, causing Dolphin to increase in intensity after failing to complete the cycle of replacing it as a fourth eye of the storm.
Forecasts show Dolphin will continue to move westward in the next 4 days. After that, the storm's speed will slow as the subtropical high pressure weakens under the impact of a low trough passing through Siberia. As the high pressure in the northwest gradually recedes eastward, the storm will shift to the northwest.
According to JMA's latest trajectory, the eye of the storm is likely to pass directly through the Okinawa archipelago in the period from the evening of August 6 to the morning of August 7, increasing the risk of heavy rain, strong winds and dangerous rough seas in this area.
PAGASA believes Dolphin is unlikely to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). However, the wide circulation of the storm will continue to strengthen the southwest monsoon (Habagat), increasing rainfall in many areas of the Philippines until early next week.
At the same time, PAGASA is still monitoring the Luis tropical depression inside PAR. The combination of Luis's circulation and the southwest monsoon is forecast to continue to cause rain in many places in the northern Philippines in the coming days.
