First typhoon of year not expected to affect China

The first typhoon of the year in the northwest Pacific Ocean is expected to continue intensifying but will not have a direct impact on China's weather, a meteorological expert said on Monday.

Tropical Cyclone Ewiniar strengthened from a tropical storm on Sunday morning to a typhoon over Philippine coastal waters by Sunday evening, according to China's National Meteorological Center.

At 2 pm Monday, the typhoon's center was located east of the Philippines at 16.2 degrees north latitude and 123.2 degrees east longitude. It packed winds of up to 136.8 kilometers per hour near its center.