CWA monitoring potential tropical storm southwest of Guam

Taipei, Nov. 11 (CNA) The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is closely monitoring a tropical depression above waters southwest of Guam, which is likely to develop into the western Pacific region's fourth tropical storm within 10 days.

At a press conference in Taipei on Monday, CWA weather forecaster Lin Ping-yu (林秉煜) said the tropical depression could become a tropical storm as soon as Monday and is expected to approach Luzon in the northern Philippines on Thursday or Friday. However, its path beyond that remains largely uncertain.

Due to variable factors such as the northern weather system and the Pacific high-pressure system, Lin noted that predictions of its future path vary between countries.

Lin explained that some forecasts suggest it will continue moving westward toward the South China Sea, while others indicate it may turn northward and affect waters east of Taiwan.

It will be named Usagi if it develops into a tropical storm, the official name list shows.

Lin said that should this occur before Tropical Storm Yinxing dissipates, it would mark the first recorded instance of four tropical storms or higher-level systems coexisting in November.

Currently weakening, Yinxing became the 22nd tropical storm of 2024 on Nov. 4, followed by Tropical Storms Toraji and Man-yi on Saturday.

Toraji, now classified as a typhoon, made landfall in Aurora, Philippines, at 8:10 a.m. on Monday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

The local government ordered the evacuation of residents from 2,500 villages on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Lin said residents north of Taoyuan and in eastern Taiwan can expect regional rain brought by strengthening seasonal northeasterly winds, with heavier rain likely in mountainous areas in the northeast.

Additionally, Lin noted that from early Tuesday morning to early Wednesday morning, the outer bands of Toraji may bring extremely heavy rain to the Keelung coast, mountainous areas in the greater Taipei area and Yilan County. Heavy rain is expected in Hualien County.

Temperatures in these areas are forecast to range between 24-27 degrees Celsius during the day and around 22 degrees at night. They are expected to rise after the seasonal northeasterly winds weaken on Wednesday, he added.