The Central Weather Bureau yesterday issued a sea warning for Tropical Storm Hagupit and said that the storm would continue to affect the nation today.
As of 8:40pm, the storm’s center was 280km southeast of Hualien, moving northwesterly at 20kph, with a maximum wind speed of 83kph near its center, the bureau’s data showed.
Hagupit was approaching northeastern Taiwan, threatening vessels operating near the northeast and north coasts, bureau forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said.
Photo: EPA-EFE / Ritchie B. Tongo
The storm would become slightly stronger as it moves closer to Taiwan, he said.
Heavy rainfall is forecast for the north and south of Taiwan today due to the combined influence of the approaching storm, stronger southwesterly winds and radiative effects, Hsu said.
A low-pressure system in the south, along with the storm, would bring swells off the north coast, east coast, the Hengchun Peninsula, Green Island (綠島), Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼), and Penghu and Lienchiang counties, Hsu said.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
People should avoid coastal activities, he said.
Meanwhile, foehn winds are likely in the southeast today, so the bureau has issued a yellow alert, which means that temperatures in the region could reach 36°C or higher, Hsu said.
The bureau did not rule out issuing a land alert for Hagupit, but it would depend on the force of a Pacific high-pressure system, which, if it strengthens, could cause the storm to move closer to Taiwan, he said.
Based on the bureau’s projected path, Hagupit would come close to Taiwan’s northeast coast today before moving toward China tomorrow.
Hagupit is a Filipino word for “smash” or “lash.” In 2014, a typhoon by that name caused massive destruction in the eastern Philippines, killing 27 people on the island of Samar.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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