Hong Kong is set to be hit by inclement weather next week as an intensifying severe tropical storm is projected to move within 400km (249 miles) of the city on Thursday, the Observatory has said.
The forecaster said Tropical Storm Podul, meaning willow tree in Korean, was centred about 1,140km east-southeast of Okinawa and was moving west at about 22 km/h (14mph) across the western North Pacific as of Sunday noon.
“Podul will intensify gradually and move westwards in the general direction of the vicinity of Taiwan in the next couple of days. However, its subsequent movement and intensity remain uncertain, with a higher chance of moving towards the vicinity of the coast of Fujian and eastern Guangdong,” The Observatory said.
“Its associated unsettled weather will affect southeastern China in the middle and latter parts of this week. A broad trough of low pressure is expected to bring showers to the northern part of the South China Sea over the weekend and early next week.”
The latest predictions indicate that by Wednesday, Podul will strengthen to typhoon level and be within 800km of Hong Kong.
