Taipei:A sea warning for Typhoon Champi may be issued as early as Wednesday night, with a potential land warning following on Thursday, as the typhoon nears Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) announced.
According to Focus Taiwan, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng indicated that the typhoon is expected to have its strongest impact on Taiwan on Friday and Saturday, potentially bringing heavy rain to central and northern regions, as well as Yilan and Hualien counties in the east.
As of Sunday afternoon, Typhoon Champi was positioned approximately 2,470 kilometers east-southeast of Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point, moving west-northwest at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 191 kph and a storm radius of 200 km.
Liu noted that current forecasts project Champi to maintain its intensity as it approaches waters northeast of Taiwan. A sea warning could be issued by Wednesday night or Thursday morning, with a land warning potentially following by Thursday night or Friday. Some forecast models suggest that Champi might make landfall in eastern Taiwan, though its path remains uncertain due to the variable strength of the Pacific high-pressure system.
The typhoon's trajectory could shift north if the high-pressure system weakens sooner than anticipated. Alternatively, if the system strengthens, Champi might take a more southerly route or pass through the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines. International forecast models continue to show varied predictions, with Tuesday being a critical day for determining whether the typhoon will veer north.
Meanwhile, the weather across Taiwan is expected to remain relatively stable on Monday and Tuesday, featuring mostly cloudy to sunny skies. However, brief, isolated showers may occur along the Keelung coast, in northeastern and southeastern Taiwan, and on the Hengchun Peninsula, as reported by the CWA.
