Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today.
The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said.
The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time.
According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest at 22kph, with sustained winds of 65kph and gusts reaching up to 90kph.
While a sea warning is likely, the agency said it is still too early to determine exactly when it might be issued.
The storm is forecast to linger over waters southeast of Taiwan on Tuesday, bringing rain to eastern parts of the country through Thursday, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said.
The outlook for Podul's development remains uncertain, Tseng said, adding that a more accurate forecast would depend on its proximity to Taiwan or the Bashi Channel in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the CWA today issued a heat alert, warning that temperatures could reach 36°C or higher in parts of seven cities and counties across Taiwan.
According to the alert issued at 7:25am, highs of 36°C for three consecutive days are expected in parts of Taipei, New Taipei City, Tainan and Pingtung County.
Temperatures in parts of Kaohsiung and Yunlin County could also reach 36°C, the CWA said.
The mercury is expected to dip to 25°C to 27°C after sunset, the CWA Web site said.
Skies across the main island are to be partly sunny due to low atmospheric moisture, but afternoon showers are still likely in mountainous areas as well as Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, the agency said.
Intermittent rain is also possible in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) in Pingtung County, the CWA added.
The inspection equipment and data transmission system for new robotic dogs that Taipei is planning to use for sidewalk patrols were developed by a Taiwanese company, the city’s New Construction Office said today, dismissing concerns that the China-made robots could pose a security risk. The city is bringing in smart robotic dogs to help with sidewalk inspections, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said on Facebook. Equipped with a panoramic surveillance system, the robots would be able to automatically flag problems and easily navigate narrow sidewalks, making inspections faster and more accurate, Lee said. By collecting more accurate data, they would help Taipei
TAKING STOCK: The USMC is rebuilding a once-abandoned airfield in Palau to support large-scale ground operations as China’s missile range grows, Naval News reported The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in Palau — one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — and Australia would enable a “rapid standup of stored equipment within a year” of the program’s approval, the report said, citing documents published by the USMC last month. In Palau, the service is rebuilding a formerly abandoned World War II-era airfield and establishing ancillary structures to support large-scale ground operations “as China’s missile range and magazine
A 72-year-old man in Kaohsiung was sentenced to 40 days in jail after he was found having sex with a 67-year-old woman under a slide in a public park on Sunday afternoon. At 3pm on Sunday, a mother surnamed Liang (梁) was with her child at a neighborhood park when they found the man, surnamed Tsai (蔡), and woman, surnamed Huang (黃), underneath the slide. Liang took her child away from the scene, took photographs of the two and called the police, who arrived and arrested the couple. During questioning, Tsai told police that he had met Huang that day and offered to
A British man was arrested for attempting to smuggle 14.37kg of marijuana into Taiwan through Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei Customs said late yesterday. The man, who arrived from Bangkok at 9pm on Friday, was asked by customs officers to open his luggage during a random inspection, Taipei Customs said in a news release. The passenger, whose identity was not disclosed, refused to open his suitcase and tried to flee the restricted area. He was eventually subdued by three customs officials and an Aviation Police Bureau officer. A later search of his checked luggage uncovered 14.37kg of marijuana buds. The case was handed over
RSS