Weather

Weather events that affect the normal flow of life in Taiwan

Rainy season front brings heavy rain to Taiwan: East coast road and rail links cut by landslides

landslide blocks east coast line at Chongde Station
Weather 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

A rainy season front is expected to bring heavy rain to Taiwan for the next week, and has already triggered landslides in areas destabilized by an earthquake earlier this month. Road and rail services between Yilan County and Hualien City are cut off after a series of landslides in Xiulin Township, Hualien County this afternoon. According to Taiwan Railway Corporation, a landslide has covered both northbound and southbound tracks between Chongde Station and Heren Station. An EMU 3000 express train

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Taiwan records world’s third-strongest wind gust: 95.2 m/s at 9:52 pm in postcode 952

wind speed record graph
Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

The fastest wind speed ever recorded in Taiwan measured 95.2 meters per second, and was recorded at 9:52 pm yesterday, October 4, on Orchid Island (Lanyu), Taiwan postcode 952. Some media outlets, including The Guardian are reporting that the measurement constitutes the third-fastest wind speed measured in the in the world, after 113.3 m/s recorded on Barrow Island, Australia in 1996, and 103.2 m/s at Mount Washington, New Hampshire, in 1934. According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, the 95.2 m/s

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Typhoon Koinu devastates Orchid Island before making landfall on southern tip of Taiwan: record wind gusts recorded before anemometer destroyed

weather radar showing Typhoon Koinu making landfall on the Hengchun Peninsula
Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Typhoon Koinu caused devastating damage on Orchid Island last night, before making landfall on the Hengchun Peninsula at 8:20 am this morning, Thursday, October 5. Orchid Island, situated 90 kilometers off the east coast, was the first place in Taiwan to bear the brunt of the typhoon when the eye passed over the island last night. Communications with the island remained cut off this morning. Former legislator Lai Kuncheng said that out of dozens of calls, he managed to make

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Taiwan battens down the hatches as Typhoon Koinu approaches east coast

satellite RGB image of Typhoon Koinu, October 3, 2023
Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau issued a land warning for communities on Taiwan’s east coast as Typhoon Koinu intensified as it continued to move towards the island today, Tuesday, October 3. The CWB issued the alert for Hualien, Taitung, and Pingtung counties at 11:30 am, warning the public to prepare for torrential rain, and strong winds. According to the CWB, at 11:00 am, Typhoon Koinu was located 440 kilometers east-southeast of Taiwan’s most southerly point, Point Eluanbi, and moving northwest at

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Typhoon Koinu expected to make landfall in southeastern Taiwan

CWB forecast path for Typhoon Koinu, October 2, 2023
Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Severe Tropical Storm Koinu intensified into a typhoon early Monday morning, and weather forecasters have it on track to make landfall in southeastern Taiwan Thursday. According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau, Typhoon Koinu this morning was located 755 kilometers southeast of Point Eluanbi, and moving in a northwesterly direction at a speed of 11 kilometers per hour. Koinu has a storm radius of approximately 200 kilometers packing sustained winds of 144 kilometers per hour, with gusts up to 180 kilometers

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Tropical Storm Koinu expected to strengthen to typhoon, closest to Taiwan Wednesday

Tropical Storm Koinu predicted path
Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

Tropical Storm Koinu formed east of the Philippines yesterday, and is expected to be upgraded to typhoon status before approaching the southeast coast of Taiwan and passing through the Bashi Channel later this week. According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau, early this morning Koinu was located 1,050 kilometers southeast of the Hengchun Peninsula and moving northwest at 12 kilometers per hour. The tropical storm had a minimum pressure of 985 hpa, with sustained winds of 25 meters per second and

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Typhoon Haikui strikes Taiwan’s east coast

typhoon haikui bears down on Taiwan's east coast
Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

The whole island of Taiwan came under the influence of Typhoon Haikui this morning, Sunday, September 3, and the National Disaster Response Center is coordinating efforts to mitigate potential disasters caused by torrential rain and strong winds. At 9:00 am, the eye of Typhoon Haiku was situated 140 kilometers east of Taitung and moving west-northwest at 9 kilometers per hour. According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau (CWB), the eye of the Typhoon is expected to make landfall in Taitung county

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Weather Bureau issues land warning as typhoon Haikui heads for southeastern Taiwan

forecast track for Typhoon Haikui September 2, 2023
Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau issued a land warning for Typhoon Haikui at 11:30 am today, September 2, forecasting that the tropical storm will make landfall in the southern part of Taiwan’s east coast early tomorrow, Sunday, September 3. At 11:00 am this morning Typhoon Haikui was located 520 kilometers east of Point Eluanbi moving westward at a speed of 17 kilometers per hour. Maximum sustained winds near the center are 137 kilometers per hour with maximum gusts of up to

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Typhoon likely to make direct hit on Taiwan this weekend

forecast path for typhoon haikui
Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Tropical Storm Haikui has been upgraded to a category 1 typhoon, and Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau has revised the predicted path to cross over the northern part of the island Sunday, September 3. Typhoon Haikui was predicted by most forecast models to pass north of Taiwan, but the CWB now predicts a direct hit on the northeast coastal area of Yilan County, while Weather Underground predicts a path over the central part of the island, making landfall in Hualien County.

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Tesla plows through floodwater in central Taiwan, leaving fossil-fuel cars in its wake

Tesla driving through flood water
Weather 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Two cars broke down, but a Tesla was seen plowing past them in floodwater that surged over the hood of the electric vehicle, after instantaneous heavy rain flooded a highway near the Zhushan Interchange in Nantou County yesterday, July 23. Zhushan police said that drainage at the 227 kilometer mark on Provincial Highway 3 was insufficient to cope with the sudden heavy downpour from a storm that hit the area at around 4:00 pm. Two cars, including a Mercedes Benz

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Heavy rain advisory issued for 15 cities and counties: Plum rain forecast for next 7 days

heavy rain advisory map June 9
Weather 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau issued a heavy rain advisory for large areas of Taiwan, and meteorologists predict periods of heavy rain over the next 7 days as the island comes under the influence of a stationary front and southwest monsoonal winds. A heavy rain advisory was issued at 12:05 pm Friday, June 9, covering Keelung City, New Taipei City, mountain districts of Taoyuan City, Miaoli County, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, Pingtung County, Yilan County, Hualien County and Taitung County. The

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