Tropical Storm Usagi, the fourth tropical storm to form in the Western Pacific in the past 10 days, may eventually affect Taiwan, but already has the Philippines on alert.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said that Usagi had an 80km radius as of 8am today above waters 660km northwest of the Yap Islands in the Philippines, or about 1,660km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻).
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
The storm is currently moving west-northwest at a speed of 27kph, with maximum sustained winds of 72kph and gusts reaching up to 101kph.
The CWA projected that by 8am tomorrow, Usagi would be positioned 760km east of Manila, or about 1,060km southeast of Oluanpi.
Original predictions of the storm's varied among countries, but in an updated forecast yesterday evening, the CWA said that Usagi's route was trending north of its previous projected path, which could lead to sea warnings being issued for waters near Taiwan on Thursday.
CWA forecaster Chen Pei-an (陳姵安) said the storm was likely to northward on Thursday, but she remained unsure if it would turn to the northwest and head into the South China Sea through the Bashi Channel, or turn due north and affect waters east of Taiwan.
As of this morning, CWA graphics showed the storm heading toward waters east of Taiwan sometime over the weekend.
Regardless of the forecasts, the Philippines are not taking any chances.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration issued an advisory for Tropical Storm Usagi, locally named "Ofel," at 5am today, although it noted that the storm had yet to directly affect any part of the country.
According to the agency's advisory, the tropical storm would continue moving west-northwest before turning northwest to north on Thursday evening, potentially making landfall over northern and central Luzon on Thursday afternoon or evening.
Usagi is expected to steadily intensify over the next three days and could develop into a typhoon tomorrow, the agency said.
The formation of Tropical Storm Usagi marked the first recorded instance of four tropical storms or upper-level weather systems existing simultaneously in November, joining tropical storms Yinxing, Toraji and Man-yi.
None of the other three storms have affected Taiwan, and the overall phenomenon is expected to conclude soon, as Yinxing, which formed on Monday last week, is weakening and would soon dissipate.
The last time the CWA observed the coexistence of four tropical storms or upper-level weather systems was in October 1994.
Meanwhile, the CWA issued a heavy rain advisory today for the northern coastal areas of New Taipei City and Keelung, as well as mountainous areas in Taipei and Yilan County.
The advisory is in effect until tonight.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as
RSS