First typhoon to strike Taiwan in 4 years expected on Wednesday

四年來首個颱風預計週三襲擊台灣

Tropical Storm Doksuri upgraded to typhoon Sunday evening, landfall expected around Taitung


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tropical Storm Doksori was upgraded to a typhoon at 8 p.m. Sunday (July 23), with most weather forecasting models predicting a direct hit on Taiwan around the Hengchun Peninsula or Taitung and Chenggong areas.

WeatherRisk meteorologist Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) said most of Taiwan will be shrouded in the typhoon’s periphery as he urged all citizens to take precautions. Peng says the latest storm track is consistent with previous reports, largely influenced by a high pressure system in the Pacific Ocean, with a margin of error of just 50 to 100 km, per UDN.

Peng said it is likely that every community and area in Taiwan will be affected by the typhoon and he urged the public to take precautions and make contingency plans in the event of power outages or flooding.

The Central Weather Bureau said a sea warning could be issued as early as Monday evening (July 24) with a potential land warning issued in the daytime on Tuesday (July 25).

Citizens should be prepared for strong wind and rain on Wednesday and Thursday (July 26–27) across Taiwan, with the hardest hit areas being the eastern and south-central areas.

Meanwhile, CWB forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) says there are still a few uncertainties about Tropical Storm Doksuri before it hits Taiwan, such as the probability of strengthening with the estimated radius of the storm potentially increasing from 100 kilometers to about 300 kilometers. If the storm finds favorable conditions to develop, the speed and intensity will increase to a more powerful typhoon, per UDN.

As for whether the government will declare a typhoon holiday, Hsu says it is still too early to tell, largely dependent on the latest weather forecast. He added that such a decision is up to the county and city governments.