A tropical depression near the Philippines is likely to turn into a tropical storm and could come close to Taiwan, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday.
According to the bureau, the system formed early yesterday morning east of the Philippines.
Although the system could move toward Taiwan, the bureau said that when the storm changes direction depends on a system of high air pressure over the Pacific Ocean.
“The storm will come nearer to Taiwan if it weakens slowly,” bureau forecaster Wu Yi-fan (吳依帆) said, adding that the bureau would be closely monitoring the further development of the system.
The storm is named Fung-wong (鳳凰), which means phoenix.
Prior to the potential arrival of the storm, however, the first frontal system of this fall is forecast to arrive on Friday afternoon. Starting on Saturday, the temperature is predicted to fall by about 5°C.
People in the north and northeast of the nation could experience isolated showers due to the interaction between the frontal system and the circumfluence of the storm.
Statistics from the bureau showed that rain in the typhoon season, which generally lasts from July to August, accounts for 40 to 60 percent of total annual rainfall.
Record-high temperatures, on the other hand, have been recorded in several locations across the nation.
The weather observation station in Taipei, for example, registered eight days this month with high temperatures exceeding 36°C, the highest number in September since the station was established in 1896.
The previous record was set in September 1964, which saw seven days exceeding 36°C.
The high temperature in New Taipei City’s Banciao District (板橋) this month was also a new record for the weather station, which was established in 1972.
The temperature in Greater Kaohsiung reached 37.6°C on Monday, the highest temperature recorded since the station was established in 1932.
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