Typhoon Vongfong strengthened as it passed the northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, turning into a super typhoon on Tuesday and heading for Japan.
According to Slate, Vongfong is now the sixth and strongest super typhoon so far this year, sporting sustained winds of 180 mph and gusts of up to 220 mph. 2014 has seen a lower than average number of typhoons, however its seen double the yearly average of super typhoons.
As it heads for Japan, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, predicts that the tropical cyclone could grow even stronger – into a category 5 hurricane – and, if it maintains its strength, it could possibly become the strongest storm to ever make landfall.
It's also possible Vongfong could intensify then calm heading into Saturday, when it is expected to reach Japan. If it calms, it will likely not slip lower than a category 3 hurricane.
The storm couldn't come at a worse time for Japan, as it is still reeling from the mudslides and flooding Typhoon Phanfone wrought on the southern half of the country less than a week ago. 1.2 million people had to be evacuated to shelters during the storm,
according to CNN.
The Ryukyu Islands will be hit first over the weekend, with full typhoon-force winds expected across the country's mainland by Monday or Tuesday. By Wednesday citizens there were already chattering and sharing pictures of the storm on social media, which were also making the rounds among meteorologists the world over.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.