The Central Weather Bureau issued a land warning for Tropical Storm Fung-Wong (鳳凰) at 8:30pm yesterday, cautioning against strong winds and big waves in eastern, southern and southwestern Taiwan.
The bureau also issued a torrential rain warning for southeastern Taiwan and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島).
As of 8pm yesterday, Fung-Wong was centered 370km south of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving northwest at 15kph, the bureau said.
Earlier yesterday, at 8:30am, the bureau issued a sea warning, adding that it is likely that the storm’s center would pass over waters east of Taiwan as it heads northeast toward Japan, bringing rainfall and winds to all parts of Taiwan from today.
The bureau warned of stormy seas along the coast.
Boats operating in the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines should also be on alert, it said.
The 16th storm of this year’s Pacific typhoon season, Fung-Wong means “phoenix” in Cantonese.
Meanwhile, according to the bureau, temperatures in Hsinchu in northern Taiwan soared to 38.8°C yesterday, the highest level recorded anywhere in the nation this year.
The high was recorded at 12:20pm, the bureau said, attributing the heat to dry, warm winds caused by Fung-Wong.
The second-highest temperature this year was recorded in Taitung County’s Dawu Township (大武) on July 9, when the mercury reached 38.3°C.
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