 On August 27 , a tropical depression developed about 520 km ( 325 mi ) northwest of Guam , which initially drifted to the southwest before turning to the northwest . On August 29 , the JMA upgraded it to Tropical Storm <unk> , and that day PAGASA began issuing advisories on Tropical Storm <unk> . The storm quickly intensified into a typhoon , after developing an eye in the center . On September 1 , the JMA estimated <unk> attained peak 10 minute winds of 150 km / h ( 90 mph ) , and the JTWC assessed peak 1 – minute winds of 230 km / h ( 145 mph ) . While near peak intensity , the center of <unk> passed about 45 km ( 30 mi ) south of the southern tip of Taiwan . The typhoon weakened steadily and was a severe tropical storm by the time it made landfall on September 2 just east of Hong Kong . The JTWC estimated landfall winds of 185 km / h ( 115 mph ) , making it the strongest typhoon to strike the Pearl River Delta since Typhoon Hope in 1979 . <unk> rapidly weakened while continuing westward through China , dissipating on September 3 over Guangxi . 
