Rain forecast for northern, eastern Taiwan due to possible tropical storm

Taipei, Oct. 16 (CNA) Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA) is monitoring the development of a tropical disturbance west of Guam, which may intensify into a tropical storm on Saturday and bring rainfall to northern and eastern Taiwan over the next week.

CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said simulation models indicated that the system is likely to strengthen into a tropical depression on Friday.

It is expected to develop into a tropical storm on Saturday, with rainfall likely to reach Taiwan that evening, Huang said. The rain is forecast to be heaviest from Sunday to Tuesday due to the combined effect of the tropical system and seasonal northeasterly winds.

Residents in northeastern Taiwan, particularly Yilan and Hualien counties, should stay alert to extremely heavy rainfall during those three days, he added.

● Hualien townships finalize evacuation plan as tropical storm looms

As of press time, the tropical disturbance was located 950 kilometers west of the U.S.-administered island and 1,900 km east-southeast of Cape Eluanbi, the southernmost point of Taiwan, Huang said.

It it forecast to pass over Luzon in the Philippines en route to the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, Huang said daytime highs in western Taiwan are projected to reach 33-35 degrees Celsius through Saturday and 31-32 degrees in the east, before dipping to around 25 and 28 degrees, respectively, next week.

Showers will likely continue throughout next week with rainfall areas moving slightly southward as Taiwan remains under the influence of the seasonal winds, he said.