A tropical depression system off the east coast of the Philippines could intensify and become this year’s sixth tropical storm, which would bring rain to eastern and southern Taiwan, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday.
The next tropical storm would be called In-fa when it forms, the bureau added.
As of 2pm yesterday, the system was off the east coast of the Philippines and was moving northwest at 19kph, bureau data showed.
Bureau forecaster Chang Cheng-chuan (張承傳) said the tropical depression system could become a tropical storm by afternoon today, adding that the bureau would issue a sea alert for the tropical storm as soon as it forms.
The tropical depression system is expected to move through the Bashi Channel today and tomorrow, bringing showers to Hualien, Taitung and the Hengchun Peninsula, bureau forecaster Liu Yu-chi (劉宇其) said.
Tonight, chances of showers would be high in southeastern Taiwan and in the mountains in the northeast, Liu said.
Wind speeds and waves around Taiwan are expected to swell as the tropical depression system passes through the Bashi Channel, Liu said, adding that strong winds and rogue waves are expected today and tomorrow around the Hengchun Peninsula, as well as southeastern Taiwan and the north coast.
The weather would again become sunny and hot once the system moves away from Taiwan, and the Pacific high-pressure system moves west, Liu said.
Hot weather and sunny skies are forecast for northern and central Taiwan, as the tropical depression system would have little effect on those regions, Liu said, adding that chances of afternoon thundershowers would be high today and tomorrow.
On Wednesday, chances of showers would be high in the southeast and the Hengchun Peninsula, Liu said.
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