Typhoon Namtheun, which has gained in strength slightly during yesterday morning, is not expected to directly affect this country, the Central Weather Bureau reported.
Namtheun -- the 10th typhoon in the Pacific area this year -- was centered some 2,500km east-northeast of Taiwan at 8am yesterday, moving in a northwest direction at a speed of 18kph, meteorologists said.
With a radius of 250km and maximum sustained winds of up to 155km per hour, Namtheun shouldn't directly affect Taiwan if its course remains unchanged over the next several days, the bureau reported.
However, forecasters said everyone should pay close attention to the typhoon over the next 24 hours as weather conditions, particularly high pressure systems formed in the Pacific Ocean, can change fast.
Meanwhile, the bureau warned that a low pressure system has been lurking in an area to the west of Luzon Island, the Philippines, and that it is likely to gain in strength and become a typhoon, and perhaps affect this country.
Taking cues from Tropical Storm Mindulle, the bureau has redoubled its efforts to urge people in the south to be on guard against torrential rains that could be triggered by the low pressure system as it moves closer to Taiwan over the next couple of days.
Temperatures have been high in recent days, and they are forecast to remain high over the next several days, the meteorologists said. Highs of 36 degrees Celsius are forecast for around the country over the coming days, while afternoon thunder showers for mountainous areas in the center and torrential rains for the south and east are expected for the next few days, they added.
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