Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon this morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan between Friday and Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
The storm, which as of 8am was still 1,100km southeast of southern Taiwan, is currently expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, the CWA said.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
Because of its rapid speed — 28kph as of 8am — a sea warning for the storm could be issued tonight, rather than tomorrow, as previously forecast, the CWA said.
In terms of its impact, Usagi is to bring scattered or isolated rain showers to much of Taiwan, particularly in the east and on the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) in the south, when it comes nearest to Taiwan between Friday and the early hours of Sunday, the CWA said.
In addition to Usagi, there are currently two other tropical storms in the Western Pacific — Toraji and Man-yi — although neither is expected to directly impact Taiwan's weather, the CWA said.
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