With people in Japan still reeling from the impact of the recent Typhoon Phanfone, weather experts from across the world are warning the residents in the areas hard hit from that storm that they are about to be slammed again, this time by Typhoon Vongfong, a monster storm system that was recently upgraded to super typhoon status.

Experts at The Weather Channel (TWC) report that on Monday, Vongfong had been measured as the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. However, rapid intensification overnight and into Tuesday has now created the strongest typhoon on record for the 2014 season.

As of 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday (2:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday in the United States) in Japan, the eye of this super typhoon was located approximately 700 miles south-southeast of Kadina Air Base on Okinawa. The storm is currently moving in a westerly direction at approximately 10 miles per hour.

Weather experts say that environmental conditions, including low vertical wind shear and warm western Pacific waters, have allowed Typhoon Vongfong to intensify "explosively."

The storm system has reportedly risen above and beyond the 157-miles per hour threshold that has officially transformed it into the equivalent status of a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane. The U.S. military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center most recently measured winds in the storm system moving at up to 185 miles per hour.

"It's safe to say that Vongfong is the strongest storm on Earth since Haiyan last year," said TWC storm specialist Michael Lowry.

Super Typhoon Haiyan reportedly killed over 6,000 people and caused tremendous destruction of land and property in November of 2013, when it slammed into the Philippines packing maximum sustained winds of over 195 miles per hour.

As the week continues and Vongfong moves closer toward southern Japan, the storm is expected to slow down with a slight decrease in strength possible as it takes a turn toward the north. Different weather predictions make a precise projection of the storm's path tough to pin down at this point in time, though, AccuWeather meteorologist Eric Leister said in a recent report.

However, it's predicted that Vongfong will first make landfall in the northern Ryukyu Islands, an area that could feel the storm's impact as early as Saturday. As the weekend continues, these islands are expected to face typhoon-force wind gusts and torrential downpours from the storm.

"While there remains some uncertainty in the exact track of the storm, confidence is high that the powerful cyclone will track north toward Japan with the potential for a landfall in Japan by early next week," Leister said. "The worst impacts across mainland Japan are expected from Monday [Oct. 13] into Tuesday [Oct. 14], when typhoon-force winds and inundating rainfall is expected."

Many residents living along the path that Super Typhoon Vongfong is expected to take are still reeling from the damage caused by Typhoon Phanfone, which hit the area just days ago. Phanfone brought with it powerful winds and about half a foot of rainfall to many areas. The coming super typhoon may hamper recovery efforts as the week goes on.

Meteorologists warn that "anyone with interests" in the region of Japan expected to be hit by Vongfong should monitor the storm closely, including its strength, path and potential impacts as it makes landfall. Individuals that expect to be affected should stay tuned to local weather broadcasts as the most up-to-date weather forecasts become available.

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