TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Although Tropical Storm Muifa (梅花) is not expected to impact Taiwan directly, it will come closest to Taiwan between Sept. 11 and 12, and its periphery will affect the country from Sept. 10-14.
At 8 a.m. today (Sept. 8), Tropical Depression 14W was upgraded to Tropical Storm Muifa. The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) currently predicts that Muifa will move northwest toward Japan's Ryuku Islands and will likely bring rainfall to Taiwan, but a sea warning is unlikely.
Map of Muifa's projected path. (CWB image)
CWB forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said that Muifa is currently moving west-northwest from its current position to the east of the Philippines and is forecast to take a northwesterly path. Once it reaches the Ryuku Islands, Huang predicted that the tropical storm will shift north.
It is estimated that Muifa will come closest to Taiwan at some point between Sept. 11-12. By that time, its intensity is expected to increase to a moderate typhoon, and it will begin to head north, away from Taiwan.
Wind radii probability. (CWB image)
Huang predicted that cloud cover in northern and eastern Taiwan will increase on Sept. 10 and the country will be affected by the periphery of the tropical cyclone until Sept. 14. Huang said the degree of the storm's effect on Taiwan depends on its trajectory.
He said that if the path is more to the west, rain in northern and eastern Taiwan will be more pronounced, while central and southern Taiwan will be impacted less. As for whether the CWB will issue a sea warning, Huang said that the probability is currently low based on Muifa's current projected path, but people in coastal areas should still beware of large waves.
