Potential No 3 on the cards as storm poised to intensify

Henry Siu

Tropical storm Trami is forecast to come within 800 kilometers of Hong Kong between late tomorrow and early Friday, when Signal No 1 will likely be issued.

"Depending on the movement of Trami and the change in local wind conditions, the need to issue Signal No 3 will be assessed," the observatory said.

Trami was positioned some 590 km east of Manila at 4pm yesterday.

Known in the Philippines as Kristine, the storm was forecast to move northwest at about 18 kilometers per hour toward the vicinity of Luzon peninsula before reaching the northeastern part of the South China Sea.

Following the tropical cyclone track, Trami is projected to become a severe tropical storm today and intensify into a typhoon on Saturday.

"It will have a higher chance to move westwards towards the vicinity of Hainan Island," the observatory said.

The weather in the next few days will be generally fine. But a replenishment of the northeast monsoon will arrive this weekend - forecast to be windy and cloudy with a few showers amid the combined effects of the monsoon and typhoon.

"An upper-air disturbance is expected to bring rainy weather to the coast of the western part of southern China early to midweek next week," the observatory said.

The observatory, meanwhile, is looking to install a three-phased array weather radar to boost the city's ability to monitor and predict inclement weather.

If a HK$55 million grant from the Legislative Council finance committee for its installation is approved, the new radar will be operational by June 2027.

"The radar helps the observatory understand detailed structure and change of a heavy rain, improve predicting rainfall distribution and rainfall forecast," it said.

henry.siu@singtaonewscorp.com