First of the year: Hong Kong Observatory issues standby typhoon signal, but don’t expect a big one
Scientific officer says difference in weather between Thursday and Friday will be quite big
Weather forecasters raised the first typhoon signal of the year on Thursday night as a tropical depression loomed within 330 kilometres of the city.
The Observatory issued the No 1 standby signal at 9.40pm but said the storm’s current path suggested that the chance of a stronger signal overnight or on Friday morning was “not high”.
As of 1am on Friday, the depression was estimated to be 330km southwest of Hong Kong and forecast to move north-northwest at about 20km per hour towards the western coast of Guangdong. It is expected to make landfall in the afternoon.
“The difference in weather between Thursday and Friday will be quite big,” said senior scientific officer Sandy Song Man-kuen. “We expect unsettled weather with squally showers tomorrow [Friday] and strong winds offshore and on high ground.”
Song said that according to the present forecast track, local winds would not strengthen significantly on Thursday night or Friday morning. “The chance of issuing strong wind signal No 3 in the short-term is not high,” she said. “We will continue to monitor the situation throughout the day.”