United States

As of Thursday afternoon, EDT, Tropical Storm Ampil is centered about 400 miles south-southeast of Naha, Okinawa, Japan, drifting slowly to the north. Ampil has top sustained winds of 45 mph.

Ampil, steered by strong upper-level high pressure near Korea and Japan, is forecast to take on a northwesterly track over the next 24-48 hours, strengthening some before tracking near Okinawa Friday night, local time. Starting later Friday, Ampil can bring heavy rain and locally damaging winds to the central Ryukyu islands. Ampil could gain typhoon status by the time it enters the East China Sea Saturday.

Continuing toward the northwest, Ampil should make landfall on the China mainland south of Shanghai Saturday night or early Sunday, local time.

Meanwhile, a flood rain threat will continue for the next 36 hours across parts of northern Vietnam and northern and central Laos as moisture from the former Tropical Storm Son-tinh lingers across the area with additional rainfall of as much as 10 inches.

By AccuWeather Meteorologist Dave Houk, updated by Meteorologist Max Vido