Super Typhoon Dolphin continued to intensify on July 31 and could strengthen beyond Category 17, according to Vietnam's National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
At 7 am on July 31, the storm's centre was located more than 4,200 kilometres east of Luzon Island, the Philippines. Maximum sustained winds near the eye had reached Category 17, with stronger gusts.
Dolphin is the fourth super typhoon to develop over the northwestern Pacific in 2026, following Sinlaku, Bavi and Mekkhala.
Forecasters said the storm is expected to move mainly west-northwest over the next one to two days at around 20 kilometres per hour. Winds near the centre could strengthen beyond Category 17, making Dolphin comparable in intensity to Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
From August 3, the typhoon is forecast to shift from a west-northwest track to a more westerly course while accelerating to about 25 kilometres per hour towards the coastal provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang in China.
By around August 5, as the storm approaches waters north of Taiwan, China, the southwest monsoon over the southern part of the East Sea is expected to strengthen.
Between August 6 and August 7, southwesterly winds across most of the northern, central and southern East Sea, including the Hoang Sa Special Zone and Truong Sa Special Zone, could reach Force 6 to Force 7 on the Beaufort scale. Waves are forecast to reach 2 to 4 metres, with rough seas expected throughout the area.
Vietnam's National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said it is continuing to closely monitor the development of Super Typhoon Dolphin.