Year's 31st typhoon develops, 9th-most since data began in 1951: Japan

Japan's weather agency announced the formation of the 31st typhoon of the year, marking the ninth-highest number of typhoons recorded since 1951, on Saturday. The typhoon, designated as In-fa, was situated near the Marshall Islands in the Pacific and was progressing slowly to the southeast at 3 a.m. local time. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that Typhoon Champi, the year's 30th, was near a group of islands in southern Japan, prompting a warning about strong winds and high waves in Okinawa Prefecture.

At 4 a.m., Typhoon Champi was located west-northwest of Yonaguni Island, with atmospheric pressure at its center of 955 hectopascals and wind speeds reaching up to 216 kilometers per hour. The typhoon is expected to move north slowly across the East China Sea before shifting to the east on Sunday. On Monday, it is anticipated to approach western Japan before weakening as it moves south of the main island of Shikoku.