Typhoon Podul nears Macau, expected to weaken

Typhoon Podul has strengthened and is expected to enter the city’s 800-kilometer monitoring range by 2 p.m. today, according to the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau.

The storm will pass about 400 kilometers from Macau, weakening to a tropical storm by that time.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, Podul was located roughly 1,340 kilometers east of Macau, moving westward at about 25 kilometers per hour toward southern Taiwan.

The weather forecast calls for hot and cloudy conditions today, with occasional showers and possible thunderstorms. Temperatures will range from 27 degrees Celsius to 34 degrees.

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue through Thursday and Friday.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Observatory forecasts that Podul will come within 800 kilometers of Hong Kong this morning, triggering the issuance of the Standby Signal No. 1.

The China Central Meteorological Observatory predicts the typhoon will make landfall around noon today on the southeastern coast of Taiwan as a typhoon or severe typhoon.

Meanwhile, authorities in Taiwan are rushing to evacuate hundreds of residents ahead of the storm, which is forecast to hit near the city of Taitung today as it intensifies, with wind gusts reaching up to 155 kilometers per hour (96 mph).

Taiwan’s east coast, known for its mountainous terrain and lower population density, frequently experiences typhoons coming from the Pacific Ocean. Nearby regions are still recovering from damage caused by earlier storms. Times Reporter