Hong Kong Braces for Typhoon Linfa
Hong Kong’s marine department has issued a Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 ahead of Typhoon Linfa, expected to hit the city Thursday night local time, with winds reaching up to 62 kilometres per hour.
The marine department urged owners and operators of vessels to take precautionary measures and properly secure their vessels.
At 3 pm local time, Typhoon Linfa was estimated to be about 150 kilometres east-northeast of Hong Kong (near 22.9 degrees north 115.5 degrees east) and is forecast to move west at about 18 kilometres per hour in the general direction of the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary, according to Hong Kong Observatory.
Linfa continued to move westwards along the coastal region, edging closer to Hong Kong. Even though it has shown indications of weakening, its intensity is not expected to change rapidly in a short period of time, the Observatory said.
According to the present forecast track, Linfa is expected to come closest to Hong Kong Thursday night and Friday morning. The Observatory will issue the No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal before 5 pm, local time.
Currently, northerly winds are prevailing over Hong Kong and due to sheltering by terrain, the strengthening of the winds has been relatively gradual. As the rainbands of Linfa move closer, local weather will deteriorate quickly near dusk and winds will strengthen significantly.
There will be swells, and members of the public should stay away from the shoreline and not engage in water sports, warns the Observatory.
