The Observatory will consider upgrading their typhoon warning status this afternoon to a No 3 Strong Wind Signal as Severe Tropical Storm Yutu edges toward Hong Kong.
Though its current track still shows the storm heading north then northeast and away from Hong Kong, the system is currently about 400 kilometers from the city, according to the weather service.
Yutu — which formed as a super typhoon in the waters of the Western Pacific — was downgraded after moving west across Luzon in the Philippines.
It will move northwards across the northeastern part of the South China Sea today and tomorrow.
“According to the present forecast track, Yutu will continue to edge closer to the coastal waters of eastern Guangdong today,” according to the Observatory.
“With the combined effect of the northeast monsoon and Yutu, winds over the coast of Guangdong are expected to strengthen gradually this afternoon.
“The Observatory will consider issuing the Strong Wind Signal, No. 3 between noon and 2pm.”
The storm comes more than a month after super typhoon Mangkhut, which slammed into Hong Kong September 16, causing widespread flooding, damage and leading to hundreds of injuries.
In a blog post, The Observatory called Mangkhut a “wake up call” in terms of the increasing intensity of storms precipitated by climate change.
“Mangkhut is indeed a wake-up call for many of us, reminding us the powerful force of nature and the challenges of climate change,” the weather service wrote.
“We must stay vigilant and be fully prepared to face the even bigger threats of tropical cyclones and extreme weather in the future.”
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