A tropical depression to the east of the Philippines has the potential to turn into a tropical storm, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday, adding that it does not rule out issuing a sea alert.
As of 7pm yesterday, the system was 490km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) in Pingtung County. It was moving northwest at 20kph.
Vessels operating off the nation’s southeast coast, in the Bashi Channel or south of the Taiwan Strait should pay close attention to developments, as the depression shows signs of growing to become a tropical storm, the bureau said.
Gusts and large waves were forecast for coastal areas in northern, eastern and southern regions, as well as the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島), the bureau said, adding that should the system grow into a tropical storm, it would be named Guchol, which means “turmeric” in Yapese, a Micronesian language.
Weather Forecast Center specialist Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said there are two possible developments if the system is upgraded into a tropical storm.
“The bureau would have to issue a sea alert for the storm if it moves north toward Taiwan. However, the conditions that the storm would pass through are not likely to help increase its strength, so it could be weakened and downgraded again as it approaches Taiwan,” Wu said.
Another possibility is that the storm continues westward, which would decrease the chances of a sea alert being issued, she said.
The weather is likely to be mostly affected yesterday and today, she said.
Cloudy or sunny skies are forecast nationwide from Friday to Monday as the Pacific high-pressure system weakens, with isolated afternoon thundershowers forecast for the northern, northeastern and eastern regions and other mountainous areas, the bureau said.
Brief showers are also forecast for Lienchiang County on Friday and Saturday because of a frontal system, the bureau said, adding that the rest of the nation would have high temperatures of 32°C to 34°C.
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