A tropical depression near the northwestern Philippines was expected to strengthen into a tropical storm, to be named Danas, by early today, and might trigger a sea warning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday.
As of 8am yesterday, the system was about 370km southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, and had developed a more organized structure, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said.
The storm was moving slowly east-northeast toward the Taiwan Strait, Lee said.
The system was expected to change direction later today toward the north or northeast, and is expected to pass closest to Taiwan between tomorrow and Monday morning, with a high likelihood of passing over the Taiwan Strait, he said.
Heavy rainfall is forecast for Taiwan tomorrow, especially in southern and southeastern mountainous areas, while other regions might experience localized downpours, he said.
The path of the system is uncertain and should be closely watched, Lee added.
Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said that the storm’s most severe impact is expected between tomorrow and early Monday.
“The threat to Taiwan should not be underestimated,” Wu added.
The 41st annual Han Kuang military exercise — planned to be the longest in the nation’s history — is scheduled for Wednesday, potentially coinciding with the storm.
Storms disrupted the Han Kuang exercises last year and in 2023, with the military abbreviating the drills both times.
Major General Tung Chi-hsing (董冀星), director of the Joint Operations Planning Division, said that if two administrative regions within a simulated “combat” zone set up for the exercises are affected by the storm, drills in the zone would be suspended to prioritize disaster relief.
If two or more zones across Taiwan, including its outlying islands, are affected, the Han Kuang exercises would be called off and rescheduled or incorporated into subsequent immediate readiness training or combat preparedness exercises, Tung said.
Ferry operators in Taitung have announced the suspension of all trips to Green Island (綠島) and Orchid Island (蘭嶼) tomorrow.
The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office also said that operations would be suspended from today until Tuesday, with reopening dates to be determined based on the storm’s impact.
Additional reporting by Fang Wei-li
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