Tropical Storm Podul likely to become typhoon Tuesday: CWA

Taipei, Aug. 11 (CNA) Tropical Storm Podul is expected to strengthen into a typhoon by Tuesday morning, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Monday.

Speaking with CNA, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said the tropical storm was located 1,180 kilometers east-southeast of Taipei as of Monday afternoon.

Current forecasts indicate that the storm will be upgraded to a typhoon as early as Tuesday morning, Chang said, adding that its radius is also showing signs of expanding.

Chang said based on the tropical storm's current trajectory, a land warning could be issued anytime from midday to afternoon on Tuesday, after a sea warning, which is expected late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

He said Podul is a fast moving storm that is forecast to bring the heaviest rainfall and strongest winds to Taiwan on Wednesday.

Podul is expected to make landfall around Taitung and Hualien counties at about midday Wednesday, Chang said, adding that northern Taitung is the most likely location.

As the radius of the storm will hit Taiwan proper Wednesday morning, residents in central and southern Taiwan as well as the eastern half of the island should pay close attention to strong winds and heavy rain.

Although northern Taiwan will see weaker rainfall, strong winds could still cause problems, Chang said.

Precipitation will be heaviest in southern Taiwan from Wednesday afternoon to evening, with areas south of Chiayi County and the eastern half of the island experiencing extremely heavy rain (defined as 200 millimeters in 24 hours or 100 mm in three hours).

Hualien and Taitung as well as mountainous areas in southern Taiwan could see rainfall stronger than extremely heavy rain, CWA advised.

Podul will likely weaken and be reclassified as a tropical storm after passing over Taiwan's Central Mountain Range before hitting China's Fujian Province Thursday, Chang added.

However, there will still be a lot of moisture in the air Thursday, Chang said, which will bring short showers to western Taiwan in the early morning before short thunderstorms in the same areas in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the eastern half of the island will see short showers throughout Thursday, he said.