Photo: Nanfang Plus
Typhoon Podul is on course to strike southeastern China after making landfall in Taiwan on Tuesday, bringing days of heavy rain and strong winds to Guangdong.
The typhoon is moving northwest at 25–30 km/h and is expected to intensify before hitting Taiwan’s southeastern coast at midday on August 13 with sustained winds of 145–160 km/h (potentially strong enough to tear roofs off and knock down trees). The storm will then cross into the Taiwan Strait and is expected to make a second landfall between Xiamen and Shantou late Tuesday night or early Wednesday as a strong tropical storm or typhoon.
In Shantou, forecasters have upgraded the city's typhoon warning from blue to yellow, warning of very strong winds within 24 hours. The heaviest rain and wind will affect the south side of the storm, which could cause flooding and landslides between August 13 and 15.
From Tuesday night through Wednesday, the eastern and northern parts of Guangdong, including northern Guangzhou and Zhaoqing, are set to experience widespread heavy to torrential rain, with some areas potentially receiving over 300 mm. The Pearl River Delta will face heavy rain, while the western part of the province will see moderate to heavy rainfall. Temperatures are expected to drop in most areas as the storm disrupts the recent heatwave.
Guangdong weather forecast:
August 13, daytime:
Mostly cloudy to overcast across the province with scattered thunderstorms and isolated heavy rain. Thunderstorms may bring short bursts of strong winds (8–10 on the Beaufort scale).
Temperatures: 31-33°C in southern counties (except Leizhou Peninsula), 34-36°C elsewhere.
Night of August 13-August 14:
Eastern and northern Guangdong, including northern Huizhou, Guangzhou, and Zhaoqing, will experience heavy to torrential rain, with some areas receiving up to 300 mm. Other parts of the Pearl River Delta will see heavy rain, while western Guangdong will have moderate rain with isolated heavy showers.
Temperatures: 28-30°C in most areas, 31-34°C in western Guangdong.
August 15:
Moderate to heavy rain, turning to showers, in western Guangdong, the Pearl River Delta, and Qingyuan. Most other areas will be cloudy with occasional rain.
Temperatures: 30-33°C across the province.
Reporter: Zeng Xiangxing
Editor: Hu Nan, James, Shen He
