Super Typhoon Champi’s Massive Eye and 200-Mph Gusts Threaten Okinawa

Key points

• Champi currently features sustained eyewall winds up to 170 mph and gusts topping 200 mph, fueled by 86-88 degree water temperatures and weak upper-level winds.
• The storm’s eye was observed Wednesday to be slightly wider than the state of Rhode Island, with visible mesovortices within the center.
• Champi narrowly missed Guam by 20 miles on Sunday at high-end Category 5 strength, avoiding a catastrophic impact.
• The system is expected to maintain its intensity through Friday before weakening as it nears northern Taiwan.
• A more direct hit is likely for Taketomi Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, with potential tropical storm impacts for mainland Japan this weekend.

Background

Champi has been the dominant storm in the Pacific this week, previously overtaking Typhoon Polo as the most powerful cyclone of 2026. It rapidly intensified from Category 3 to Category 4 near Guam earlier in the week, marking the third major tropical cyclone to impact the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands this year. The 2026 Pacific season has already surpassed all-time records for accumulated cyclone energy, with 22 named storms and nine major hurricanes recorded so far.

Why it matters

The storm’s extreme intensity and large eye pose significant risks to the northern Philippines, Okinawa, and Taiwan. Its trajectory and strength highlight the volatile conditions in the western Pacific, where ideal ocean temperatures and atmospheric stability are fueling rapid intensification. The narrow miss of Guam underscores the potential for catastrophic damage if the storm’s path had shifted slightly.

What to watch

Forecasters expect Champi to maintain its Category 5-equivalent strength through Friday. It will likely weaken as it approaches northern Taiwan, but a near-Category 4 impact is predicted for Taketomi Island in Okinawa. Mainland Japan may experience tropical storm conditions by the weekend as the system continues its westward movement.