The Observatory will consider issuing the Increasing Gale or Storm Signal, No. 9 between 1am and 3am on Wednesday (Sep 24) as Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches.
At 11 pm, Ragasa was centred about 220 kilometers southeast of Hong Kong and is forecast to move west-northwest at about 22 kilometers per hour, edging closer to the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary to the coast of western Guangdong.
According to the present forecast, Ragasa will be closest to Hong Kong on Wednesday morning, skirting around 100 kilometers to the south of the city.
The weather forecaster said hurricane-force winds are expected to edge closer to Hong Kong gradually, and local winds will strengthen further overnight.
Under the influence of significant storm surge, the rise in water level can reach around 2 meters over the coast of Hong Kong on Wednesday, the Observatory added.
The water level will start to rise after around 6am. It will reach the maximum later in the morning to early afternoon, generally to around 3.5 to 4 meters above chart datum. The water level at Tolo Harbour may even reach 4 to 5 meters above chart datum, it added.
Seas will be phenomenal with swells and overtopping waves over the shoreline, which will be particularly significant along the eastern and southern coasts.
As Ragasa has an extensive circulation with fierce winds, the weather is expected to deteriorate rapidly overnight and be persistently adverse with frequent heavy squally showers and thunderstorms.
