Tropical Storm Mekkhala forms near Guam; mercury rises in Taiwan

Taipei, June 20 (CNA) A tropical depression near Guam in the western Pacific strengthened into a tropical storm early Saturday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA), which also warned of high temperatures in Taiwan on Saturday.

As of 8 a.m. Saturday, Tropical Storm Mekkhala was located about 1,960 kilometers east-southeast of Taiwan, moving at 27 kilometers per hour toward Okinawa, Japan, according to the CWA.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of up to 90 kph near its center, with gusts of 119 kph, the CWA said.

On its current west-northwest path, the storm is likely to be located 1,440 km east-southeast of Taiwan by 8 a.m. Sunday, the CWA said, advising fishing vessels in the area to stay alert and updated.

The CWA also issued heat alerts for parts of Taiwan on Saturday, warning of maximum temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius or higher.

Heat alerts, categorized as "orange" on the CWA scale, were issued for Chiayi and Hualien counties, warning of highs of 38 degrees in a single day or above 36 degrees for three consecutive days.

Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi cities, as well as Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Pingtung and Taitung counties were under "yellow" alerts, which warn of a daily high of 36 degrees Celsius or over.

Taitung is also likely to experience foehn winds -- warm and dry gusts that descend the leeward side of mountains into valleys, the CWA said.

Meanwhile, independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said Saturday that along with Tropical Storm Mekkhala, a weather front is expected to linger north of Taiwan from June 24-29, which will increase the atmospheric moisture over the country.