Taipei: Typhoon Saudel weakened into a tropical storm at 5 a.m. Friday, yet it is still anticipated to deliver heavy to extremely heavy rain to southern Taiwan, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The CWA has maintained the sea warning for the storm issued on Thursday, indicating that the system continues to threaten waters north of Taiwan, particularly near the outlying Matsu Islands. The warning is expected to be lifted as early as this afternoon.
According to Focus Taiwan, as of 8 a.m. Friday, the tropical storm was positioned approximately 250 kilometers north-northeast of Matsu, moving west-southwest at a speed of 29 kilometers per hour, before decelerating to 17 kilometers per hour as it advanced over China, CWA data revealed. The system's radius has contracted to 150 kilometers, with maximum sustained winds of 108 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching up to 137 kilometers per hour.
The CWA has stated that the tropical storm is anticipated to continue weakening, with a decrease in both its intensity and storm radius. However, central and southern Taiwan can still expect brief showers or thunderstorms due to the influence of the storm's outer bands and southwesterly winds. Areas from Chiayi County southward could encounter localized heavy rain and short-duration downpours, according to the weather agency.
The CWA has issued heavy rain advisories for Chiayi County, Tainan, and Kaohsiung, along with an extremely heavy rain advisory for Pingtung County. Mountainous areas in central Taiwan may experience localized heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong wind gusts, while mountainous regions in northern and eastern Taiwan are projected to see scattered showers on Friday, the CWA forecast.
Residents in mountainous areas are urged by the CWA to stay vigilant for landslides, rockfalls, and rapidly rising river levels, while those in low-lying areas should be cautious of potential flooding. Daytime highs in northern and eastern Taiwan are expected to range between 33 and 36 degrees Celsius on Friday, with highs in central and southern Taiwan anticipated to be between 29 and 32 degrees.