Alexa
  • Directory of Taiwan

Typhoon Surigae to bring rain to eastern Taiwan, Taipei on April 22

Periphery of Surigae could bring rain to eastern Taiwan, Greater Taipei on April 22, 23

  4579
NOAA satellite map of Typhoon Surigae.

NOAA satellite map of Typhoon Surigae.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Typhoon Surigae will come closest to Taiwan on Thursday (April 22) and Friday (April 23) and could bring rain to eastern Taiwan and the eastern side of Greater Taipei.

As of 2 a.m. this morning (April 21), Typhoon Surigae was 770 kilometers southeast of Taiwan's southernmost point of Eluanbi, moving northwest at 15 kilometers per hour (kph). The typhoon has a radius of 280 km and is packing maximum sustained winds of 172 kph, with gusts of up to 208 kph, according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).

Meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said that although Surigae has weakened to a mid-level typhoon, it continues to exhibit characteristics of a "big eye typhoon." He said that its speed has also weakened, and therefore its progress should also slow.

Wu predicts that Surigae will turn to the northeast on Thursday (April 22), when it will come closest to Taiwan. On Friday (April 23), he said it will start to move east as it comes under the influence of westerly winds.

Typhoon Surigae to bring rain to eastern Taiwan, Taipei on April 22
CWB satellite image of Typhoon Surigae.

He cautioned that although the storm will gradually move away from Taiwan starting on Friday, large waves will still be prevalent. He advised residents considering activities in coastal areas over the coming four days to exercise caution.

Wu said that large waves are likely to occur on the north coast of Keelung, eastern Taiwan (Including Orchid Island and Green Island), the Hengchun Peninsula, coastal areas of southwest Taiwan, Penghu, and Kinmen. As of 5 a.m. this morning, wave heights of 1.5 meters to 2.5 meters have been observed in Guishan Island, Hualien, Taitung, Eluanbi, and Xiaoliuqiu.

Wu said that the latest model by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) shows that all of Taiwan will see sunny to partly cloudy skies, with hot conditions during the day and cool temperatures in the evening. There is a possibility of afternoon showers in mountainous areas of central and southern Taiwan, as well as eastern Taiwan.

Typhoon Surigae to bring rain to eastern Taiwan, Taipei on April 22
CWB satellite image of Typhoon Surigae.

On Thursday and Friday, the uplifting effect of the periphery of Surigae will bring significant rainfall to eastern Taiwan, predicted Wu. During this period, there could also be occasional short-term rains on the north coast and east side of Greater Taipei.

However, he predicted sunny and partly cloudy skies for Taoyuan and areas south of there. Wu forecast brief afternoon showers for the mountainous areas of western Taiwan.

For Saturday (April 24), Wu predicts partly cloudy to sunny skies across Taiwan. In the afternoon, short-term rains in eastern Taiwan and mountainous areas of central and southern Taiwan are still possible.

From Sunday through Tuesday (April 25 to 27), Wu stated that moisture will begin to arrive from China, and the weather will become unstable again. He said that in the afternoons "small-scale convection" could occur, leading to showers, but more observation will be needed to predict the extent of the precipitation likely during that period.