Hurricane Walaka and Super Typhoon Kong-rey both attained Category 5 strength on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2.
They both had maximum sustained winds of more than 157 mph.
They were both downgraded to Category 4 storms as of Oct. 2.
Walaka’s Position
As of Oct. 4, Hurricane Walaka is located about 660 miles northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, and it is moving 20 mph to the north, according to the hurricane center.A tropical storm warning was issued for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from French Frigate Shoals to Maro Reef. Papahanaumokuakea includes 10 islands and atolls of the northwestern Hawaiian islands.
Walaka “is expected to slow its forward speed and turn toward the north-northwest later today and tonight,” according to the hurricane center. “From Friday through early Saturday morning, Walaka is forecast to move toward the north-northeast at a faster forward speed. Maximum sustained winds are near 110 mph (175 km/h) with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is expected to continue during the next couple of days, but Walaka is forecast to remain a hurricane through early Friday morning,” it added.
Typhoon Kong-rey Heading to Japan
The Japan Meteorological Agency said on Oct.4 that Kong-rey has weakened considerably, and it has 78 mph winds, according to CBS News. It’s heading to the north at 12 mph.The storm is tracking toward Japan’s Okinawa islands located in the country’s south.
“Wind gusts of 100-125 km/h (62-78 mph) are expected in Jeju, Yeosu, Busan, Ulsan, and Pohang,” the website said. “Rainfall amounts of 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) will be common across the country,” it added, saying that as many as 12 inches of rain could fall in some areas.
Earlier in the week, Typhoon Trami injured dozens of people and killed two in Japan, Channel News Asia reported. On Sept. 4, Typhoon Jebi hit Japan, killing at least 11 and injuring many more.