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Ng Kang-chung

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial.
Hong Kong is on alert as Tropical Storm Wipha draws closer, with heavy rain and gusty winds expected to batter the city over the weekend.
A steering committee headed by the city’s No 2 official, Eric Chan Kwok-ki, convened a meeting on Friday afternoon to step up preparations.
The Emergency Transport Coordination Centre is also in operation, while emergency response teams, including those from the fire services, police, the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service are on standby.
About 240 locations across the city that are prone to flooding have been inspected and cleared, while 180 response teams have been put on standby to inspect and clear drainage channels.
The Post looks at everything you need to know about the approaching tropical cyclone.

1. What is the projected path of Wipha?
Wipha formed to the east of the Philippines on Wednesday night as a tropical depression, gaining in strength as it developed and moved towards the coast of southern China.
Trajectory forecast maps show that Wipha will pass to the south of Hong Kong as a typhoon around Sunday afternoon.
At 10pm on Friday, Tropical Storm Wipha was centred about 550km north-northeast of Manila, the Philippines. Wind speeds at its centre were about 65km/h.
The storm was forecast to move northwest or west-northwest at about 22km/h in the vicinity of the Luzon Strait and intensify gradually.
According to the Observatory, Wipha was expected to enter within 800km of Hong Kong in the early hours of Saturday, with the No 1 typhoon warning signal to be issued by then.
Wipha, a woman’s name in Thai meaning “splendour” or “radiance”, was expected to intensify and edge closer to the Pearl River Delta on Saturday. It was set to strengthen into a severe tropical storm with a maximum sustained wind of 110km/h near its centre by Saturday afternoon, when it would be about 400km from the city.
The Observatory said it would consider issuing the strong wind signal No 3 during the day on Saturday.
Wipha was forecast to be “rather close” to the vicinity of the Pearl River Delta on Sunday. An earlier update had said it was expected to skirt about 50km from the city.
The tropical cyclone would bring heavy squally showers and thunderstorms, as well as rough seas, the Observatory said, warning residents to stay away from the shoreline and to not partake in water sports.
“Depending on the distance between Wipha and the Pearl River Estuary, the intensity of Wipha and the change in local winds, the Observatory will assess the need of issuing higher tropical cyclone warning signals at first on Sunday,” the forecaster said.




2. Why was potential T8 mentioned before T1 was even issued?
Leung Wing-mo, a former assistant director of the Observatory and now a spokesman for the Hong Kong Meteorological Society, said the decision to warn of a potential No 8 typhoon signal was justifiable.
The forewarning was made possible by more accurate forecasts with advanced technology, he said.
“Wipha is intensifying and it is forecast to come very close to Hong Kong, closer than Mangkhut, although Wipha is not as strong. So the forewarning is justifiable,” said Leung, referring to a super typhoon that hit the city in September 2018.
Mangkhut caused a No 10 typhoon signal to be issued. The super typhoon passed about 100km to the south-southwest of the Observatory’s headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Leung added: “Furthermore, there will be high tide in the early morning of Sunday. The effect of the storm surge will be amplified [when Wipha gets near].”
He warned that forecasts of various models seemed to agree with each other, and “all pointing to the possibility of a close onslaught”.
He agreed that authorities should ensure residents were alerted early.
3. How strong is Wipha compared with past typhoons?
Since 2020, Hong Kong has issued 23 typhoon warning signals of the No 8 level or above.
The last time the Observatory issued a No 8 signal was during Typhoon Toraji in November 2024.
The most recent No 9 warning was made during Severe Typhoon Koinu in October 2023, just one month after the city issued the highest No 10 signal when Super Typhoon Saola passed as close as 40km to the south-southeast of the Observatory headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui.
At one point, the wind speed at the centre of Saola reached a maximum of 210km/h, setting a record in Hong Kong’s typhoon history.
Wipha is estimated to have a maximum sustained wind speed near its centre of about 130km/h when it approaches the west of the Pearl River Delta late on Sunday afternoon.


Hong Kong registers a low of 13.2 degrees Celsius, coldest so far this autumn

Hong Kong registers low of 13.2 degrees Celsius, coldest so far this autumn

Weather in Hong Kong will feel colder than 14 degrees Celsius due to wind chill

Hong Kong asked to layer up as temperature set to dip to 14 degrees by Wednesday

Hong Kong weather

Hong Kong braces for Wipha: all you need to know about cyclone and T8

According to the Observatory, Wipha is expected to enter within 800km of Hong Kong in the early hours of Saturday. Photo: May Tse

Trajectory forecast maps show that Wipha will pass to the south of Hong Kong as a typhoon around Sunday afternoon. Photo: May Tse

Tropical Storm Wipha: Hong Kong to issue T3 signal at 2.20pm, consider T8 next day

Residents walk through heavy rain in the Diamond Hill area on Friday. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong may issue T8 warning on Sunday as tropical cyclone edges closer

Tourists walk along the Avenue of Stars under last week’s storm clouds. Photo: Edmond So

The Observatory has advised the public to stay away from the shoreline and refrain from doing water sports. Photo: Jelly Tse

Why have severe storms hit Hong Kong despite lower cyclone intensity?

Visitors on the rooftop area of K11 Musea in Tsim Sha Tsui on Thursday. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hongkongers brave the rain in Mong Kok on Thursday. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Hong Kong

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Forecast models show possibility of ‘close onslaught’, one expert says, as emergency services put on standby


Forecast models show possibility of ‘close onslaught’, one expert says, as emergency services put on standby.


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China

Hong Kong Meteorological Society

Leung Wing-mo

Eric Chan Kwok-ki

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.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Forecast models show possibility of ‘close onslaught’, one expert says, as emergency services put on standby

Forecast models show possibility of ‘close onslaught’, one expert says, as emergency services put on standby