TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) on Monday evening (Aug. 28) issued a sea warning for Typhoon Saola and it is expected to come closest to Taiwan on Wednesday (Aug. 30).
At 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday (Aug. 29), the CWB reported that Typhoon Saola was 460 km southeast of Eluanbi moving northwest at 13 kph. It had a radius of 150 km and was packing maximum sustained winds of 162 kph, with gusts of up to 198 kph.
Modeling from the CWB, Europe, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) show Saola's eye coming closest to Taiwan on Wednesday night, while the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said it would come closest between Wednesday and Thursday (Aug. 31). On Thursday, the CWB predicts that Saola will begin to enter the Taiwan Strait, where it will gradually move west before making landfall in China's Fujian Province on Sunday (Sept. 3).
CWB projected path for Typhoon Saola. (CWB image)
Meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said on Tuesday as Saola gradually approaches, atmospheric moisture over Taiwan will increase, bringing localized showers, while the western half of the country will be sunny and hot. Northern Taiwan will see partly cloudy to sunny skies and occasional localized showers and localized thunderstorms are probable in the afternoon in the mountainous areas of central and southern Taiwan.
The temperatures in plains areas will range between 23 and 36 C in the north, 24 to 35 C in central Taiwan, 24 to 35 C in the south, and 22 to 37 C in the east, according to Wu.
Wu said on Wednesday there would be significant rainfall in the east and Pingtung and winds would gradually increase. Although the central mountain range will brunt much of Saola's blow, cloud cover will increase in the west.
On Thursday, most of the country will be affected by wind and rain, and Wu advised the public to remain vigilant. On Friday (Sept. 1), there will still be heavy rain and strong wind gusts in some areas. On Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 2-3), Wu said modeling from different agencies varies, so more observation is needed.
Wu said modeling for Tropical Storm Haikui, which is moving northwest at 11 kph, differed significantly after Friday (Sept. 1), but the distance between Haikui and Saola appears to be diminishing. Wu said there is a possibility that either a minor or a major instance of the Fujiwhara effect, when two typhoons combine into a larger one, could occur later in the week.
Satellite image of Typhoon Saola. (NOAA GIF)
