Typhoon Bavi likely to pass north of Taiwan: CWA

Taipei, July 6 (CNA) Typhoon Bavi is more likely to pass north of Taiwan than to make landfall in the northern part of the country, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Monday, adding that the storm is still too far away to forecast its exact track.

As of 8 a.m. Monday, the center of Typhoon Bavi was located about 2,680 kilometers east-southeast of Taiwan, moving west-northwest at 25 kilometers per hour, according to the CWA.

The storm, which has a radius of 320 kilometers, was packing maximum sustained winds of 209 kph near its center, with gusts of up to 263 kph, CWA data showed.

Bavi is expected to pass closest to Taiwan on Friday or Saturday, the CWA said, adding that based on current data, it could issue a sea warning for the storm as early as Thursday.

The CWA also said it could issue a land warning late Thursday night or on Friday morning.

Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said Monday that Bavi, classified by the CWA as an "intense typhoon," has developed into a large and powerful storm, a phenomenon typically associated with El Niño conditions.

Meanwhile, the CWA said Taiwan remained under the influence of a strong Pacific high-pressure system on Monday and is expected to continue experiencing scorching heat.

An "orange" heat alert has been issued for Changhua County in central Taiwan and Tainan in the south, the CWA said, warning of daytime highs of over 38 degrees Celsius on Monday.

The CWA also issued "orange" heat warnings for Taipei and New Taipei in the north, Taichung in central Taiwan, Chiayi and Kaohsiung cities, Yunlin and Pingtung counties in the south, and Yilan and Hualien counties in the east, indicating that temperatures could exceed 36 degrees for three consecutive days.

Nantou County in central Taiwan and Chiayi County in the south were under a "yellow" heat alert, which warned of temperatures exceeding 36 degrees on Monday.

According to the CWA, the high temperatures are expected to prevail through Thursday.