File:Typhoon In-Fa (MODIS 2021-07-25).jpg

English: On July 23, 2021, Typhoon In-Fa (also called Fabian) swept through Japan’s Miyako Islands as it took aim at the coast of eastern China. The Miyako Islands are a group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture and belong to the Ryukyu islands.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of the exceptionally large storm on that same day. At the time the image was captured, the cloud-filled center of Typhoon In-Fa was located just south of Miyako Island, the largest of the Miyako Islands. The hefty eye wall appeared to remain just offshore, but strong convective bands were pounding the islands with heavy wind and torrential rain. According to local media, which quoted the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) advisories, the storm carried maximum sustained winds of approximately 150 km/h (93 mph) as it passed through the islands.

At 11:00 p.m. EDT on July 24 (0300 UTC on July 25), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) advised that Typhoon In-fa was located near 29.9 N and 122.6 E, or about 133 miles (214 km) southeast of Shanghai, China and is tracking northwestward at 13.8 mph (22 km/h). Maximum sustained winds were 75 mph (121 km/h) with gusts up to 92 mph (148 km/h).

Typhoon In-Fa is forecast to turn more westward to make landfall just south of Shanghai, China on July 25. It is likely to weaken as it approaches landfall, with maximum sustained winds of about 63 mph (101 km/h) with higher gusts. Interaction with land should weaken the storm, gradually at first but more rapidly as it turns to approach the Yellow Sea. While forecasts predict the storm will make landfall at windspeeds equivalent to a tropical storm, wind damage may still occur. Storm surge and extremely heavy rain may cause significant flooding, especially in areas already inundated from rains earlier this week.