Taipei: The Central Weather Administration (CWA) announced on Monday that a land warning for Tropical Storm Podul could be issued around midday Tuesday. This follows a possible sea warning expected late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, as the storm moves closer to Taiwan. The CWA forecasts that the storm will bring significant wind and rain, likely making landfall in Hualien County and Taitung County on Wednesday.
According to Focus Taiwan, eastern Taiwan will begin to experience the effects of Tropical Storm Podul's outer circulation by Tuesday evening, with conditions worsening into Wednesday. The storm is expected to depart from Taiwan by late afternoon or evening, as per the weather agency's predictions.
The CWA has warned that extremely heavy rain, officially classified as at least 200 millimeters in 24 hours or 100 mm in 3 hours, is anticipated in Yilan County, Hualien County, Taitung County, and the mountainous regions of southern Taiwan. Additionally, afternoon thunderstorms are likely to dominate the weather on Monday and Tuesday, with the potential for extremely heavy rain in Greater Taipei and northern Taiwan's mountainous areas.
As of 8 a.m. Monday, the center of Tropical Storm Podul was positioned 1,290 kilometers east-southeast of Taipei, advancing westward at 24 kph. The storm was carrying sustained winds of 108 kph and gusts reaching up to 137 kph, based on CWA data.
The Maritime and Port Bureau (MPB) announced that all ferry services between Taitung County and Green Island will be suspended from midday Tuesday through Wednesday. Additionally, ferry services between Taitung County and Orchid Island, as well as between Houbihu in southern Taiwan's Kenting National Park and Orchid Island, will be canceled on Wednesday, as stated by the MPB.
Independent meteorologist Wu De-rong, an adjunct associate professor at National Central University's Department of Atmospheric Sciences, noted that Podul's track has shifted southward, with over an 80 percent probability that its storm circle will impact Taiwan. Wu predicts that the storm will maintain peak strength before landfall and will weaken only after traversing over land.