A tropical disturbance east of the Philippines is likely to turn into a tropical storm or a typhoon, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday, adding that it could affect the weather across the nation this weekend.
If a tropical storm or a typhoon is to form, it would be named “Bavi,” after a mountain in Vietnam, the bureau said.
Bureau forecaster Lin Ding-yi (林定宜) yesterday afternoon said that the system was at the time about 1,000km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), adding that it would move closer to Taiwan over the weekend.
Photo: Hsiao Yu-hsin, Taipei Times
Meteorology agencies around the world have so far said that the system is unlikely to turn into a typhoon, unless it would take a northbound path, away from Taiwan and toward Japan’s Ryukyu Islands.
Although the bureau has yet to forecast the depressions potential effect on the nation’s weather, Lin said that random showers in the eastern and southern regions are likely over the weekend, adding that cloudy to sunny skies with afternoon thundershowers are forecast for the rest of Taiwan.
Chances of heavy rainfall are high in the mountainous areas, he said, adding that if the system moves closer to Taiwan, heavy rainfall could occur across the nation.
The weather between Monday and Wednesday would likely remain unstable due to humidity brought by southwesterly winds, with showers or thundershowers forecast for central and southern Taiwan, Lin said, adding that central and southern regions might even see heavy rainfall.
Cloudy skies are forecast for the rest of the nation with chances of afternoon showers, Lin said.
Former CWB Weather Forecast Center director Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said that chances of rain would nationwide remain high, even if the tropical disturbance passes Taiwan off the east coast, adding that the west coast might over the weekend also see heavy thundershowers.
Between Monday and Wednesday, residents in central and southern Taiwan should be prepare for extreme weather, Wu said.
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