Tropical Storm Jongdari unlikely to impact Taiwan: CWA

Taipei, Aug. 19 (CNA) A low-pressure system in the northwestern Pacific was upgraded to a tropical storm named Jongdari early on Monday, but it is unlikely to impact Taiwan, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The system had been located in waters east of Taiwan and south of Okinawa before it intensified into the ninth tropical storm of the year in the region at 2 a.m. on Monday, the CWA said.

The weather agency has forecast that the storm will have no direct impact on Taiwan as it drifts northward toward the East China Sea and South Korea.

Jongdari was located 450 kilometers east of Taipei at 8 a.m., moving at 17 to 30 kilometers per hour (kph) in a north-northwesterly direction. It had maximum sustained winds of up to 65 kph, with gusts reaching up to 90 kph, CWA data showed.

Although the storm is unlikely to impact Taiwan, its movement may bring heavy rain to central and southern Taiwan as the southwesterly seasonal winds strengthen on Tuesday, the CWA forecast.

CWA forecaster Chen Pei-an (陳姵安) said Taiwan is currently influenced by the intertropical convergence zone and southwesterly seasonal winds, which could cause rainfall in Taiwan's southern areas.

With Jongdari moving northward, precipitation is expected to expand to Yunlin County on Tuesday, Chen said.

As for Monday, central and southern areas of Taiwan, as well as the outlying Penghu and Kinmen counties and the Matsu Islands, are expected to experience brief showers or thunderstorms, Chen said.

People in southern Taiwan may see heavy showers, while afternoon thunderstorms could occur in the northern and northeastern parts of the island, Chen added.

Meanwhile, the country will experience exceptionally high tides from Monday to Friday, the CWA predicted. Chen cautioned people in low-lying areas near the coastline from New Taipei to Chiayi County to be on guard against seawater intrusions.

Daytime highs in central and southern Taiwan are expected to range from 29-31 degrees Celsius on Monday, with the mercury likely to hit 32-33 degrees in other regions during the day, according to the CWA.