Chanthu was upgraded to a stronger typhoon yesterday, the Central Weather Bureau said, adding that it might not issue a land alert for the typhoon when it comes close to Taiwan on Sunday.
As of 2pm yesterday, Chanthu was centered 1,330km southeast of Olaunpi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 21kph, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph.
The typhoon’s radius had expanded to 120km, the bureau said.
Bureau forecaster Wang Chun-shian (王君賢) said that a sea alert for Typhoon Chanthu could be issued tonight or early tomorrow morning as it is expected to pass through the Bashi Channel.
“As the typhoon’s radius is only 120km, whether a land alert would be issued requires more observation,” Wang said
Taiwan would be under the influence of the typhoon from Saturday to Monday, he said.
Due to ocean conditions, Chanthu could strengthen when it approaches the Bashi Channel, Wang said.
The typhoon’s structure would be slightly weakened by the topography when it moves closer to Luzon Island, he said.
The bureau’s projected path for the typhoon could change depending on the strength of a Pacific high-pressure system, Wang said.
“Chanthu’s path would move slightly north if the high-pressure system weakens. However, if the high-pressure system remains strong, the typhoon’s path could veer to the south. Data we have at the moment show that the high-pressure system might weaken, but we still need to monitor its development,” he said.
Typhoon Chanthu and Tropical Storm Conson were about 1,200km apart and both are moving northwest, Wang said.
Whether they would generate the Fujiwara effect, where two storms orbit each other and lead to more rain, would be better understood when they have moved closer to China, he said.
Between Saturday and Monday next week, thundershowers or showers are forecast for Hualien and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula, the bureau said.
Starting tomorrow, rogue waves could appear off the north, east and southwest coasts, and the Hengchun Peninsula, as well as Penghu and Kinmen counties, it said.
The coast guard on Friday took a Chinese fishing boat and the 17 people on board into custody, after it rammed into a patrol boat while attempting to flee. A 100-tonne coast guard vessel at about 8am discovered a Chinese fishing boat illegally operating in waters about 11 nautical miles (20.4km) northwest of Hsinchu, the Hsinchu offshore flotilla of the Coast Guard Administration said. The crew refused to allow law enforcement to board the ship and attempted to flee, it added. The coast guard vessel and another ship chased the fishing boat for about a half hour, during which time the Chinese boat
Vice President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said that Beijing was trying to “annex” Taiwan, while China said its recent series of drills near Taiwan are aimed at combating the “arrogance” of separatist forces. The Ministry of National Defense earlier this month said that it had observed dozens of Chinese fighters, drones, bombers and other aircraft, as well as warships and the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong, operating nearby. The increased frequency of China’s military activities has raised the risk of events “getting out of hand” and sparking an accidental clash, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said last week. Asked about the spurt
Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on Monday said he would not attend the official Double Ten National Day celebrations for the first time this year, as its English name, “Taiwan National Day,” implies “Taiwan independence.” Writing on Facebook, Ma said he has attended every National Day celebration since entering public service 40 years ago, but “with an exceedingly heavy heart,” has decided to reject this year’s invitation. For the past three years, the government under President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has used “Taiwan National Day” for the event’s official English-language title, leaving the “Republic of China” nowhere to be found, he said. The move
RUNWAY UPGRADES: Airports and ports mainly scattered around southwestern Japan are being given major overhauls, primarily serving as civilian-use facilities Japan has chosen 33 airports and ports as candidates for improvement to enhance military capabilities, with a particular focus on infrastructure that could be utilized in a Taiwan emergency, according to a recent report in Japan’s Nikkei Shimbun. Citing the Japanese government’s fiscal budget proposal for next year, the newspaper said Toyko is to name some facilities as essential bases and receive funding for upgrades in line with the revamped national security strategy published last year. According to an unofficial policy document drafted last month and reviewed by the Nikkei, the Japanese government designated 14 airports and 19 ports for improvement, including