As tropical storm Toraji barrels across the South China Sea, Hong Kong authorities are closely monitoring the situation, ready to issue a potentially devastating typhoon warning signal if the storm continues to intensify.
According to the Hong Kong Observatory, three key factors will determine whether a Signal No. 8 – the third-highest typhoon warning – will be hoisted in the coming days: the intensity of Toraji, its distance from the Pearl River Estuary, and local wind conditions.
“Depending on these variables, we will assess the need to issue higher tropical cyclone warning signals,” the observatory stated in its latest bulletin.
For now, a Signal No. 3 will be hoisted at 2:40pm, with Toraji currently situated about 300 kilometers south of the city, moving northwestward at 12 km/h. The storm’s outer rain bands are already drenching parts of Guangdong province, and winds are expected to strengthen throughout the afternoon.
“Right now, Toraji has taken a west-northwesterly track, which means it will gradually edge closer to areas with cooler sea temperatures,” explained Lee Shuk-ming, a senior scientific officer at the Observatory. “This could cause the storm to weaken.”
However, Lee noted that increasing vertical wind shear could also potentially counteract this effect, making it difficult to predict Toraji’s ultimate intensity as it nears Hong Kong.
With rough seas and swells already battering the coastline, residents are being advised to stay away from shoreline areas. As the city braces for Toraji’s potential onslaught, all eyes will be on the Observatory’s next moves in the coming critical hours.
