The Central Weather Bureau yesterday said that chances for issuing a land warning for Typhoon Goni were lower than previously expected, but added that people should still prepare for heavy to torrential rainfall over the weekend.
At 10pm yesterday, Goni was centered 240km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), on the southernmost tip of Taiwan, moving north-northeast at 16kph, the weather bureau said.
The typhoon finally made an expected sharp turn toward the north in the early hours of yesterday and, if it continues on its current path, chances are low for a land warning to be issued, the bureau said.
The bureau late on Friday said, before the storm changed course, that a land warning could be issued as early as yesterday. On its current path, the typhoon’s eye is unlikely to make landfall in Taiwan and its intensity diminished somewhat overnight, the bureau said.
The 200km-radius storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at 155kph, with gusts of up to 191kph, both slower than the previous bulletin’s figures.
However, the bureau warned that Goni would still affect the nation, as it is expected to move north along Taiwan’s eastern coast, likely bringing torrential rainfall to Yilan and Hualien counties. Torrential rain indicates an accumulation of no less than 200 millimeters of precipitation in a 24-hour period.
Local airlines yesterday said that some of their flights had been disrupted by the typhoon, and more cancelations and delays could be expected today.
Strong winds and heavy rain were already buffeting eastern Taiwan and were expected to continue into today, causing further flight disruptions.
Uni Air said it canceled the return leg of its service between Taipei and Taitung, and flight B7-881 from Taipei to Kinmen.
Mandarin Airlines said flights AE391, AE392, AE395 and AE396 between Taipei and Taitung, and flights AE7931 and AE7932 between Kaohsiung and Hualien, would be canceled.
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