Taiwan is likely to be influenced by three to five tropical storms and typhoons in the second half of the year, following a relatively quiet first half, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today.
The forecast is close to the historical average, the CWA told a news conference in Taipei on projected typhoon activity in the coming months.
An average of 26.09 tropical storms or typhoons formed annually in the Western North Pacific and South China Sea region between 1958 and last year, with more than half occurring in July, August and September, the CWA's Web site says.
Photo: CNA
During these three months, the two most common storm tracks are the one passing between Taiwan and the Philippines, and the one turning north over the waters east of Taiwan, said Chen Yi-liang (陳怡良), director of the CWA's Weather Forecast Center.
Whether the storms directly affect Taiwan depends on their actual distance from the nation, he added.
The projection follows a first half in which only two storms were observed, lower than the historical average of 4.3.
However, that was not considered an extreme anomaly, Chen said, adding that over the same period there have been three years with only one storm and three with none.
To minimize the potential impact of storms, the CWA would introduce wind forecasts for coastal towns, the agency said.
Local governments could use the information to decide whether to suspend work and school, it added.
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