People have been advised to brace for Typhoon Talim today as it approaches the eastern and northern coasts of Taiwan, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday.
The bureau did not issue a sea alert until 2:30pm yesterday as it adjusted the typhoon’s projected path.
The bureau had forecast Talim’s eye would make landfall in the northeast, but yesterday revised its prediction, saying that the typhoon would only move through the waters near the north coast before heading toward Japan.
Photo: Chang I-chen, Taipei Times
As of 8:30pm yesterday, Talim’s center was 680km southeast of Taipei, moving northwest at 16kph with a storm radius of 200km.
If Talim’s speed and movement remain unchanged, a land alert would be issued by 2:30am today, the bureau said.
The nation is likely to feel the effects of the typhoon from this afternoon until Thursday, the bureau said.
Bureau forecaster Lo Ya-yin (羅雅尹) said that the weakening of a Pacific high-pressure system caused the typhoon to turn north at an angle greater than previously predicted, which led to the bureau’s decision to postpone sea and land alerts.
People in the north and northeast must beware of potential damage caused by heavy rainfall brought by Talim, Lo added.
Although intermittent rainfall is forecast this morning for the two regions, heavy or extremely heavy rainfall is expected this afternoon, she said, adding that rainfall and winds are expected to ease by tomorrow afternoon.
As of 8:50pm yesterday no closures were scheduled for schools or offices in Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung or Miaoli County.
Domestic airlines have canceled some flights that were scheduled to take off this afternoon.
China Airlines Ltd (中華航空), EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空), Mandarin Airlines (華信航空) and other international carriers announced that they would cancel some flights, particularly those to Japan’s Naha Airport and New Ishigaki Airport in Okinawa.
Travelers are advised to check with airlines before departing for airports.
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