Hong Kong will experience rain later this week brought on by a looming typhoon, following more hot weather in the coming days caused by an anticyclone affecting southern China, the city’s forecaster has said.

Severe Tropical Storm Podul was centred about 1,290km (801.6 miles) east of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, as of noon, and was forecast to move west at about 25km/h (15.5mph) across the western North Pacific, the Hong Kong Observatory said.

The city can expect rain on Wednesday, heavy squally showers at times on Thursday and unsettled weather on Friday, according to the forecaster.

“Tropical Cyclone Podul will intensify gradually and move westwards in the general direction of the vicinity of Taiwan. It will then edge closer to the vicinity of eastern Guangdong and southern Fujian,” the Observatory said.

“However, its landfall location and intensity still remain uncertain.”

Heavy showers and squally thunderstorms associated with Podul will affect Guangdong province in the middle and latter parts of this week.