Publication Date September 13, 2016 | USA Today

Super Typhoon Meranti takes aim on Taiwan, China

Taiwan
A September 13, 2016 NASA satellite omage shows Super Typhoon Meranti. Taiwan braced for the approaching super typhoon by evacuating nearly 1,800 tourists from offshore islands and closing some schools and offices. Meranti is expected to skirt past the island's southern tip, bringing torrential rain and powerful winds late Tuesday, the Central Weather Bureau said. Photo: HO, AFP, Getty Images
A September 13, 2016 NASA satellite omage shows Super Typhoon Meranti. Taiwan braced for the approaching super typhoon by evacuating nearly 1,800 tourists from offshore islands and closing some schools and offices. Meranti is expected to skirt past the island's southern tip, bringing torrential rain and powerful winds late Tuesday, the Central Weather Bureau said. Photo: HO, AFP, Getty Images

Clocking wind speeds of 185 mph, Super Typhoon Meranti, now the Earth's strongest storm of the year, is forecast to graze Taiwan on Wednesday before barreling into China.

The monster storm is the strongest recorded since 2013, when Super Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6,000 people in the Philippines.

Meranti prompted Taiwan officials to evacuate nearly 1,800 tourists from offshore islands and close some schools and offices.

The storm produced gusts of 225 mph Tuesday morning, along with waves around 48 feet, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said.

Though predicted to weaken as it approaches land, Meranti is still expected to bring flooding rain, damaging winds and dangerous storm surge to Taiwan...

As of Tuesday morning U.S. time, the typhoon recorded 185-mph winds for 18 straight hours, a feat only matched by two other typhoons since 1970, according to meteorologist Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University[1]