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Hainan Island is bracing for the first typhoon of the season in the western Pacific, with the storm expected to dump heavy rain across parts of southern China as the system nears the coast.
The tropical depression — named Wutip — is forecast to reach typhoon strength by Friday morning local time and hit peak intensity just before making landfall on Hainan, according to the US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Hong Kong has issued its initial cyclone warning, known as Standby Signal, No. 1.
The storm is in the South China Sea to the southeast of Hainan, and about 660 kilometers (410 miles) south of Hong Kong.
The cyclone season in the western Pacific typically runs from around June to November, and can cause crop losses, close markets and schools, and damage infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Super Typhoon Yagi struck Hainan late last year with destructive winds before tracking toward Vietnam and dumping heavy rain across the region, leading to extensive flooding.
Wutip is set to bring strong winds and torrential rain to Hainan, with parts of the island getting as much as 500 millimeters (20 inches) from Wednesday through Saturday, according to the provincial meteorological bureau. Vietnam’s weather agency also warned of high waves and very rough seas due to the cyclone.
Hong Kong, which last year ended its decades-long practice of shutting markets during typhoons, is expected to experience windy conditions and occasional heavy, squally showers as the tropical storm crosses Hainan and continues tracking northeastward into southern China.
The 2024 season was the deadliest in over a decade and the fourth costliest on record, mostly due to Yagi, according to UK-based forecaster Tropical Storm Risk. It was also notable for a barrage of six tropical storms that hit the Philippines in a five-week period, which was fueled by a warming climate.
Photograph: Yudai Beach in Boao, Hainan Province, China. Photo credit: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg
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Topics
Catastrophe
Natural Disasters
China
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