A tropical depression over waters east of Guam could be upgraded into a tropical storm later today, but it remains too early to tell if it is to affect Taiwan because of its uncertain path, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
As of 8am, the tropical depression was 3,870km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and moving in a northwest direction at 17kph, CWA data showed.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
The agency forecast that the weather system is to move to about 3,540km east-southeast of the cape by 8am tomorrow.
Although the weather system is expected to head for Japan, the CWA said it would continue to monitor the storm’s movement to determine whether it would eventually affect Taiwan’s weather.
Taiwan is currently in a typical summer weather pattern, prompting the CWA to issue heat advisories for parts of seven cities and counties today.
An “orange” heat alert was issued for Nantou County in central Taiwan and Yunlin and Pingtung counties and Chiayi and Tainan cities in the south, warning that temperatures in those areas could reach 36°C or higher for three consecutive days.
Yellow heat alerts were issued for Changhua County in central Taiwan and Chiayi County in the south, indicating temperature highs of 36°C are possible for a single day.
Elsewhere, daytime temperatures were expected to hit 32°C to 35°C, the CWA said.
Despite generally partly sunny skies around Taiwan, the weather remains affected by a low-pressure system, which is expected to bring some moisture, the CWA said.
It forecast brief showers and even thundershowers for parts of northern Taiwan and Yilan and Hualien counties in the east today.
Heavier precipitation is expected for Keelung, Taiwan’s northern coast, mountainous regions in the greater Taipei area, and part of Yilan County, it added.
The CWA also warned that the low pressure system is to result in strong winds in the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島), Green Island (綠島), Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) and outlying Lienchiang County, forecasting average wind speeds of 41kph to 51kph (Beaufort force 6) with gusts of 63kph to 75kph (force 8).