Mekkhala could come closest to Taiwan on Thursday: CWA

Taipei, June 22 (CNA) Typhoon Mekkhala is likely to come closest to Taiwan on Thursday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA), which forecast localized rain or thundershowers in western and northeastern parts of the country for that day.

As of 2 p.m. Monday, the eye of the storm was located 770 kilometers southeast of Cape Eluanpi, the southernmost point of Taiwan, and continued to move toward waters east of the Philippines, according to the CWA.

Speaking with CNA, CWA forecaster Lai Hsin-kuo (賴欣國) said the strength of Mekkhala has continued to intensify and is likely to become a typhoon with "intense intensity" Monday night at the earliest after being a storm designated to be of "moderate intensity."

According to the CWA, a typhoon with an intense intensity has maximum wind speeds of more than 184 kilometers per hour compared with 118-183 km per hour for a storm with a moderate intensity.

Lai said that after Mekkhala comes closest to Taiwan, it will move in a northeasterly direction toward Japan and will weaken as it moves northward because of an environment unfavorable to its development.

On Thursday, when the typhoon gets closest to Taiwan, Lai said, the storm will still be about 400 to 500 km away, and the CWA is not likely to issue a sea warning for the storm.

Under the influence of its outer band, however, Taiwan is expected to see brief showers or thundershowers in western and northeastern areas, while cloudy skies are expected for the rest of the island.

Lai said Mekkhala is expected to move away from Taiwan starting Friday, and with a weather front weakening Sunday and Monday (June 29), typical scorching hot weather in summer will return.

Lai said that before Wednesday, temperature highs are expected to hit 32-34 degrees Celsius around Taiwan with 37 degrees possible in the Greater Taipei area, mountainous areas in central and southern Taiwan and parts of Hualien and Taitung counties.

From Thursday to Sunday, daytime highs are expected to fall to 31-33 degrees, Lai said.