The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said that Taiwan is likely to be influenced by three to five tropical storms or typhoons in the second half of this year, following a relatively quiet first half of the year.
The forecast is close to the historical average, the CWA said at 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 Pacific and South China Sea region between 1958 and last year, with more than half occurring in July, August and September, according to the CWA Web site.
Photo: CNA
CWA Weather Forecasting Center director Chen Yi-liang (陳怡良) said that during those three months, the two most common storm tracks are one passing between Taiwan and the Philippines, and one turning north over the waters east of Taiwan.
Whether the storms would directly impact the nation depends on their distance from Taiwan, he said.
The forecast follows a first half of the year in which only two storms were observed, lower than the historical average of 4.3, but Chen said that this was not considered an extreme anomaly, adding that there have been six instances during the same period with fewer than two storms — three years with only one storm and three with none.
To minimize the potential impact of upcoming storms, the weather agency said it would introduce wind forecasts for coastal towns. Local governments can use the information to decide whether to suspend work and school, it said.
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