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Twenty-Fi

Western Pacific Tropical Depression · WP252026
16.0°N, 138.4°E
Moving NW at 13 mph
Max Winds
30 mph
Pressure
1005 mb
Forecast Points
8
JMA Winds (10-min avg)
30.0 kt
JMA Pressure
1006.0 hPa
JMA (10-min average): tracked, no typhoon number assigned

Summary

Tropical Depression 25W (Twenty-Five) currently has maximum sustained winds of 30 mph and is moving northwest at about 13 mph. As of the latest warning, it was located about 373 nautical miles north of Ulithi. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast calls for the system to keep tracking generally northwest for the next couple of days while it stays steered by a subtropical ridge to its north-northeast. Later, it is forecast to slow down as it approaches a weakness between that ridge and a weaker ridge over China, then turn north-northwest and eventually recurve around the steering ridge. This depression is expected to steadily strengthen in a highly favorable environment, with the potential for rapid intensification after about 60 hours. The official forecast brings it to about 75 mph by 72 hours, around 104 mph by 96 hours, and a peak near 121 mph by 120 hours. Track confidence is medium through 72 hours and low from 72–120 hours due to a split in model guidance; one less-likely scenario would take the system northwest toward Taiwan instead of recurving.
Key messages
  • Tropical Depression 25W is expected to strengthen steadily and could rapidly intensify later in the forecast period, peaking near 121 mph by 120 hours.
  • The forecast track is generally northwest at first, then slowing and turning north-northwest before recurving and heading north-northeast.
  • Track confidence drops after 72 hours, and while less likely, some guidance allows a northwest track toward Taiwan.

Forecast intensity

JTWC forecast maximum sustained winds (mph) by hour.

Satellite Imagery (IR)

Twenty-Fi IR satellite
CIRA/RAMMB · 23 Sep 09:20 UTC
JTWC Warning #1 23 Sep 06:00 UTC
WTPN31 PGTW 230900
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/TROPICAL DEPRESSION 25W (TWENTYFIVE) WARNING NR 001//
REF/A/MSG/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI/230351ZSEP2026//
AMPN/REF A IS A TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION ALERT.//
RMKS/
1. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 25W (TWENTYFIVE) WARNING NR 001    
   01 ACTIVE TROPICAL CYCLONE IN NORTHWESTPAC
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS BASED ON ONE-MINUTE AVERAGE
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
    ---
   WARNING POSITION:
   230600Z --- NEAR 16.0N 138.4E
     MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS - 325 DEGREES AT 11 KTS
     POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 040 NM
     POSITION BASED ON CENTER LOCATED BY SATELLITE
   PRESENT WIND DISTRIBUTION:
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 025 KT, GUSTS 035 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   REPEAT POSIT: 16.0N 138.4E
    ---
   FORECASTS:
   12 HRS, VALID AT:
   231800Z --- 16.9N 136.2E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 030 KT, GUSTS 040 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   VECTOR TO 24 HR POSIT: 290 DEG/ 12 KTS
    ---
   24 HRS, VALID AT:
   240600Z --- 17.7N 133.9E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 035 KT, GUSTS 045 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 060 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            010 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            010 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            060 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 36 HR POSIT: 295 DEG/ 12 KTS
    ---
   36 HRS, VALID AT:
   241800Z --- 18.7N 131.5E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 040 KT, GUSTS 050 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 065 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            070 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 48 HR POSIT: 300 DEG/ 11 KTS
    ---
   EXTENDED OUTLOOK:
   48 HRS, VALID AT:
   250600Z --- 19.8N 129.4E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 045 KT, GUSTS 055 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 070 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            070 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 60 HR POSIT: 300 DEG/ 09 KTS
    ---
   60 HRS, VALID AT:
   251800Z --- 20.7N 127.8E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 050 KT, GUSTS 065 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 040 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            010 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            020 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 065 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            040 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            065 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 72 HR POSIT: 315 DEG/ 07 KTS
    ---
   72 HRS, VALID AT:
   260600Z --- 21.7N 126.8E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 065 KT, GUSTS 080 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 064 KT WINDS - 020 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            010 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            000 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            010 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 030 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            030 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 070 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            060 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            050 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            070 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 96 HR POSIT: 345 DEG/ 02 KTS
    ---
   LONG RANGE OUTLOOK:
    ---
   96 HRS, VALID AT:
   270600Z --- 22.6N 126.5E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 090 KT, GUSTS 110 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 064 KT WINDS - 030 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            000 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            030 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 040 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            040 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            050 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            040 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 090 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            090 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            080 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            080 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 120 HR POSIT: 010 DEG/ 02 KTS
    ---
   120 HRS, VALID AT:
   280600Z --- 23.5N 126.7E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 105 KT, GUSTS 130 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 064 KT WINDS - 040 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            040 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            040 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            040 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 060 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            060 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            060 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            050 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 100 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            100 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            080 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            095 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
    ---
REMARKS:
230900Z POSITION NEAR 16.2N 137.9E.
23SEP26. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 25W (TWENTYFIVE), LOCATED
APPROXIMATELY 373 NM NORTH OF ULITHI, HAS TRACKED NORTHWESTWARD
AT 11 KNOTS OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE AT 
230600Z IS 1005 MB. MAXIMUM SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT AT 230600Z IS 12 
FEET. NEXT WARNINGS AT 231500Z, 232100Z, 240300Z AND 240900Z.
2. THIS CANCELS AND SUPERSEDES REF A (WTPN21 PGTW 230400).//
NNNN
Forecast Reasoning 23 Sep 09:00 UTC
WDPN31 PGTW 230900
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL DEPRESSION 25W (TWENTYFIVE) 
WARNING NR 001//
RMKS/
1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS.
2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS.

SUMMARY:
   INITIAL POSITION: 16.0N 138.4E
   INITIAL INTENSITY: 25 KTS
   GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 373 NM NORTH OF ULITHI
   MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: NORTHWESTWARD AT 11 KTS
   SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 12 FEET

SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION:
ANIMATED MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY (MSI) DEPICTS TROPICAL
DEPRESSION (TD) 25W AS A HIGHLY ELLIPTICAL LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION
CENTER PARTIALLY OBSCURED BY PERSISTENT DEEP CONVECTION TO THE
NORTH. 25W HAS BECOME SLIGHTLY BETTER ORGANIZED OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL HOURS AND VERTICAL ALIGNMENT APPEARS TO BE IMPROVING. AN
EXPANDING PLUME OF DEEP CONVECTION HAS RECENTLY FORMED DIRECTLY
OVER THE CENTER, FURTHER INDICATING CONSOLIDATION. CLOUD TOPS WITHIN 
THAT PLUME ARE QUICKLY COOLING, DROPPING TO LESS THAN -80C IN JUST A 
FEW HOURS. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS REVEALS A HIGHLY FAVORABLE
ENVIRONMENT, CHARACTERIZED BY LOW (10-15 KTS) VERTICAL WIND SHEAR
(VWS), VERY WARM (29-30 C) SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES (SST), HIGH
(100-120 KJ PER CM SQUARED) OCEAN HEAT CONTENT (OHC), STRONG
POLEWARD OUTFLOW, AND AMPLE MOISTURE THROUGHOUT THE AIR COLUMN. THE
INITIAL POSITION IS PLACED WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE
PARTIALLY EXPOSED LLCC. THE INITIAL INTENSITY OF 25 KTS IS ASSESSED
WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE DPRINT ESTIMATE OF 27 KTS, PGTW
DVORAK FIX AT 1.5, AND THE IMPROVED APPEARANCE IN ANIMATED MSI.

INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: NOT APPLICABLE (THERE ARE NO INITIAL WIND
RADII).

CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: A DEEP-LAYER SUBTROPICAL RIDGE CENTERED
TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST OF THE SYSTEM

AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: 
   PGTW: T1.5 - 25 KTS
   CIMSS D-PRINT: 27 KTS AT 230600Z

FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: HIGHLY FAVORABLE
   VWS: 10-15 KTS
   SST: 30-31 CELSIUS
   OUTFLOW: STRONG POLEWARD

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE:
   INITIAL POSITION: MEDIUM
   INITIAL INTENSITY: MEDIUM
   INITIAL WIND RADII: NOT APPLICABLE

3. FORECAST REASONING.

SIGNIFICANT FORECAST CHANGES: THIS INITIAL PROGNOSTIC REASONING
MESSAGE ESTABLISHES THE FORECAST PHILOSOPHY.

FORECAST DISCUSSION: TD 25W IS FORECAST TO TRACK GENERALLY
NORTHWESTWARD WHILE IT REMAINS UNDER THE STEERING INFLUENCE OF THE
DEEP-LAYER STR CURRENTLY CENTERED TO ITS NORTH-NORTHEAST. 25W IS
EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN A RELATIVELY CONSISTENT TRACK SPEED THROUGH
TAU 48-60, AT WHICH POINT, THE STORM IS FORECAST TO SLOW SLIGHTLY
AS IT APPROACHES A WEAKNESS BETWEEN THE STEERING RIDGE AND A WEAKER
STR CURRENTLY CENTERED OVER CHINA. BETWEEN TAU 60-72, 25W WILL
CONTINUE TO SLOW ITS SPEED OF ADVANCE AND TURN NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD
INTO THE WEAKNESS AND BEGIN TO TRACK AROUND THE SOUTHWESTERN
PERIPHERY OF THE STEERING RIDGE TOWARDS THE RIDGE AXIS. BY TAU
72-96, 25W IS FORECAST TO RECURVE ABOUT THE STEERING RIDGE WHILE 
TRACKING CONSIDERABLY SLOWER. FROM TAU 96 THROUGH THE END OF THE 
FORECAST PERIOD, 25W WILL BEGIN TO ACCELERATE TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST 
WHILE THE DEEP-LAYER STR MAINTAINS STEERING AUTHORITY OVER THE SYSTEM.
REGARDING INTENSITY, 25W IS FORECAST TO STEADILY INTENSIFY WHILE IT
CONTINUES TO CONSOLIDATE THROUGH TAU 60. AT THAT POINT, 25W MAY
UNDERGO A PERIOD OF RAPID INTENSIFICATION. THE ENVIRONMENT IS
EXPECTED TO BE HIGHLY FAVORABLE THROUGH THE ENTIRE FORECAST PERIOD,
ESPECIALLY BETWEEN TAU 60-96. DURING THAT TIME, VWS IS EXPECTED TO
DROP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND THE SLOWER TRACK SPEED WILL RESULT
IN 25W SPENDING CONSIDERABLE TIME OVER HIGH OHC VALUES. 25W IS
CURRENTLY FORECAST TO PEAK AT TAU 120, WITH ADDITIONAL
INTENSIFICATION POSSIBLE OUTSIDE THE FORECAST PERIOD. 

MODEL DISCUSSION: DETERMINISTIC MODEL GUIDANCE DEPICTS A
SIGNIFICANT BIFURCATION SCENARIO BEGINNING AROUND TAU 72 AS 25W
ENTERS THE WEAKNESS BETWEEN THE TWO SUBTROPICAL RIDGES. THE
BIFURCATION IS SPLIT BETWEEN THE PHYSICS-BASED MODELS AND
EXPERIMENTAL AI-BASED MODELS. GLOBAL PHYSICS-BASED MODELS INDICATE
25W COULD FAIL TO RECURVE AND INSTEAD TRANSITION STEERING
INFLUENCES TO THE WEAKER STR OVER CHINA AND TRACK NORTHWESTWARD
INTO TAIWAN. THIS SCENARIO HAS BEEN DEEMED LESS LIKELY, AS THE
WEAKNESS IS DEPICTED IN GLOBAL MODELS AS A SIGNIFICANT GAP BETWEEN
THE TWO RIDGES WHILE THE STR OVER CHINA IS DEPICTED AS IRRESOLUTE.
EXPERIMENTAL AI-BASED MODELS SUPPORT THE RECURVE SCENARIO, AND DUE
TO THE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SETUP IN GLOBAL MODELS
AND THE AI MODELS' HISTORICAL HIGH ACCURACY, THE JTWC TRACK
FORECAST LIES IN CONCURRENCE WITH THE AI MODELS. ADDITIONALLY, THE
EXPECTED INTENSITY OF THE STORM IS FORECAST TO BE SUFFICIENT
TO PUNCH THROUGH THE WEAKNESS AND RECURVE ABOUT THE ORIGINAL
STEERING RIDGE. THE TRACK FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS PLACED WITH MEDIUM
CONFIDENCE FROM TAU 0-72 AND LOW CONFIDENCE FROM TAU 72-120 DUE TO
THE UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THE RECURVE SCENARIO. RELIABLE
INTENSITY GUIDANCE IS IN STRONG AGREEMENT IN A STEADY RATE OF
INTENSIFICATION THROUGH TAU 60 AND AN INCREASED RATE OF
INTENSIFICATION THEREAFTER. THE GUIDANCE DIVERGES WITH RESPECT TO
PEAK INTENSITY, RANGING ANYWHERE FROM 85 KTS (GFS) TO 145 KTS
(COAMPS-TC) AT TAU 120. AS A RESULT, THE JTWC INTENSITY FORECAST
LIES VERY CLOSE TO THE HAFS-A SOLUTION AND THE MULTI-MODEL
CONSENSUS, AND IS ASSESSED WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE FROM TAU 0-72 AND
LOW CONFIDENCE FROM TAU 72-120.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE:
   TRACK 00-72 HR: MEDIUM
   TRACK 72-120 HR: LOW
   INTENSITY 00-72 HR: MEDIUM
   INTENSITY 72-120 HR: LOW//
NNNN
Products not available for West Pacific storms
  • NEXRAD radar — no radar coverage over the open West Pacific.
  • Storm-surge inundation — no public storm-surge model for this basin.
  • Wind-speed probabilities — JTWC does not publish them.
  • Watches and warnings — issued by local agencies (PAGASA, JMA, CWA), not JTWC.
  • Reconnaissance aircraft — no routine aircraft reconnaissance in the West Pacific.
  • Rapid-intensification and shear diagnostics — SHIPS-based guidance is not published for this basin.
These are data-availability limits for the West Pacific basin, not omissions.

Source: U.S. Navy/Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), via the UCAR Tropical Cyclone Guidance Project. JTWC data is in the public domain. · Updated 2026-09-23 08:20 UTC · JMA analysis: Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (10-minute average winds). Satellite imagery: CIRA/RAMMB.