Typhoon Bavi may prompt sea, land warnings Thursday: CWA

Taipei, July 8 (CNA) The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Wednesday that it could issue a sea warning for Typhoon Bavi as early as Thursday, followed by a land warning from late Thursday night to early Friday morning, as the powerful storm approaches Taiwan.

CWA forecaster Yeh Chih-chun (葉致均) said Bavi remains a strong and large typhoon, with a storm radius of 380 kilometers.

It is most likely to pass over waters off northeastern Taiwan, but interactions with the island's terrain could still bring it closer, according to the CWA.

As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, Bavi was centered about 1,490 km east-southeast of Cape Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point, moving west before gradually turning west-northwest at 21 km per hour.

The storm, characterized as a "super typhoon" by the United States military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center, had maximum sustained winds of 216 kph, with gusts of up to 270 kph, CWA data showed.

Yeh said Bavi is expected to maintain its strength and size through Wednesday before gradually weakening starting Thursday, but it is still expected to affect Taiwan as either a "lower-end strong typhoon" or an "upper-end moderate typhoon."

If Bavi follows its current projected path, the CWA will issue a sea warning as early as Thursday during the day, with a land warning possible between late Thursday night and early Friday morning.

The typhoon's outer circulation is expected to begin affecting Taiwan on Thursday evening, bringing increasing rainfall to northern Taiwan, including Taoyuan and areas northward, as well as Yilan County.

The typhoon is expected to have its greatest impact on Taiwan from Friday evening through Saturday, when it passes closest to the island, according to the CWA.

Heavy rain is expected in central and northern Taiwan, Yilan, and mountainous areas in Hualien and southern Taiwan, with extremely heavy rainfall possible in mountainous areas of northern Taiwan.

Yeh urged the public to prepare for the storm, saying Bavi is both large and powerful and could bring significant wind and rainfall regardless of whether it continues moving in a northwestern direction.