Typhoon Dolphin Is On Track to Become a Violent Super Typhoon

Although Hurricane Genevieve is losing steam and Hurricane Fausto is tracking out into the open seas, that does not mean that the Pacific is quieting down. Meet Typhoon Dolphin, the latest threat in this corner of the world's oceans. Here is the latest on this storm that is forecast to turn into a super typhoon by the end of the week.

Typhoon Dolphin Forecast to Evolve Into a Super Typhoon in the Western Pacific

It has been a busy stretch of days for tropical weather events in the Pacific Ocean. The major Hurricane Genevieve is starting to unwind after reaching the status of a Category 5 monster earlier in the week. Fortunately, Genevieve has remained far from land during its lifespan.

What was once a Category 2 hurricane, Fausto is now a post-tropical storm moving to the west-northwest across the remote Pacific. Fausto is churning well to the north of the Hawaiian Islands; however, its long plume of moisture may impact parts of Hawaii on Friday. Any impacts are expected to be limited in nature.

The fizzling out of Genevieve and Fausto has prompted hurricane experts to focus on Typhoon Dolphin churning in the western Pacific. The latest forecast models suggest that Dolphin will evolve into a super typhoon packing winds of up to 180 mph as it approaches Wake Island.

Dolphin formed earlier in the week in a zone about 2,000 miles southwest of Hawaii to the north of the Marshall Islands. The storm went through the process of rapid intensification Monday. By Wednesday, Dolphin was packing maximum sustained winds of 140 mph.

While Dolphin's wind speeds had temporarily plateaued on Wednesday as the storm went through the eyewall replacement cycle, forecasters predict these winds will pick up in intensity and eventually become a super typhoon. The current trajectory has Dolphin barely missing Wake Island. However, the large swells associated with the storm will radiate outward and hit several islands in this part of the basin.

Although Dolphin and Genevieve are not expected to bring significant impacts to populated land masses, both storms are posing hazards for cross- Pacific shipping interests. Hurricane experts are also warning that the eastern and central Pacific will remain a hotbed of tropical activity due to the strengthening of El Niño.

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