Tropical Storm Wipha intensified slightly yesterday as it passed closest to Taiwan, dumping more than 200mm of rain in Hualien and Taitung counties, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
As of 11am, Wipha was about 210km southwest of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) and was moving west-northwest at 27km per hour (kph).
The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 101kph and gusts reaching 126kph, with a 150km radius of strong winds, CWA data showed.
Photo courtesy of a reader via CNA
Wipha’s outer rainbands began sweeping across Taiwan early yesterday, delivering steady rainfall in the east and scattered showers in other regions, forecasters said.
More heavy rain was expected, especially in the eastern mountains, where precipitation could exceed 350mm within 24 hours or 200mm in three hours, the CWA said.
Torrential rain was also forecast in low-lying areas of Hualien and Taitung, and in mountainous regions of Yilan, Nantou, Pingtung and Kaohsiung.
A strong wind advisory remained in effect across much of Taiwan throughout yesterday, with parts of Greater Taipei likely to see stronger bursts, it said.
The storm was also generating long swells and rough seas, the CWA said, adding that waves could reach 5m off the southeast coast and gradually rise to 3m to 4m in waters off the northern coast.
In related news, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said Tropical Storm Wipha disrupted transportation across Taiwan yesterday, forcing the cancelation of more than 100 ferry services and several domestic flights.
The ministry said 114 ferry services on 14 routes were suspended due to rough seas and strong winds brought by the storm’s outer bands.
Ferry services were canceled for routes such as Donggang-Xiaoliuqiu (東港-小琉球) in the south, Keelung-Matsu (基隆-馬祖) in the north, Green Island (綠島) and Orchid Island (蘭嶼) in the southeast, and Kinmen and China’s Fujian Province.
Eight domestic flights were canceled by 10am yesterday, although all international and cross-strait flights remained on schedule, the ministry said.
The CWA lifted its sea warning for Tropical Storm Wipha at 5:30 pm Saturday, as the weather system moved away from Taiwan.
While the severe tropical storm is moving away from Taiwan, the country remains under warnings for strong winds and heavy rains from Wipha’s outer bands, as it continues to strengthen, the administration indicated.
The CWA has forecast that the storm will draw close to Hong Kong early this morning.
Amid those conditions and forecasts, China Airlines (CAL) yesterday canceled its CI607 flight from Taoyuan International Airport to Hong Kong International Airport.
CAL also announced that all flights from Taoyuan and Kaohsiung bound for Hong Kong or Shenzhen Baoan International Airport in China today have been canceled. The Taiwanese airline also canceled flight CI922 from Hong Kong to Taoyuan tomorrow.
Taiwan’s other major carrier, EVA Airways, announced that all its flights yesterday afternoon and today from Kaohsiung to and from Hong Kong and Macau have been canceled.
All of EVA Air’s flights today between Taoyuan and Hong Kong and Macau have also been canceled.
Starlux Airlines made a similar announcement, canceling all of its Taiwan-Hong Kong and Taiwan-Macau flights today.
They include flights JX233, 234, 235, and 236 between Taiwan and Hong Kong; JX201, 202, 205, and 206 between Taiwan and Macau; and flights JX331 and 332 between Taichung and Macau, the Taiwanese airline said.
Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific Airways said that all of its flights between Taiwan and Hong Kong that were scheduled to operate between 5am and 6pm today will either be canceled or delayed.
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