This year’s strongest typhoon, “Hua Jia Sha”, is expected to make landfall on the coast of Guangdong on September 24, posing high risks with extreme intensity. As of now, more than a dozen cities in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have already suspended operations.
According to the China Meteorological Administration, as of 3 p.m. on September 23, the center of Typhoon No. 18 “Hua Jia Sha” was located about 550 kilometers to the east-southeast of Yangjiang City in Guangdong Province, over the northern part of the South China Sea. The maximum wind force near the center has reached Level 17 (58 meters per second, super typhoon level).
“Hua Jia Sha” is moving west-northwest at a speed of 20 to 25 kilometers per hour and is expected to make landfall along the coast of Zhuhai to Zhanjiang in Guangdong as a typhoon or strong typhoon on the afternoon to evening of the 24th (typhoon or strong typhoon level, equivalent to Level 13-15, wind speed of 40-48 meters per second). After landfall, it is forecasted to gradually weaken while moving in a westward direction.
Meteorological analysts in China have stated that “Hua Jia Sha” is a powerful typhoon with a broad circulation that will bring typhoon rain to more than ten provinces including Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Yunnan, Hainan, Jiangsu, as well as Taiwan. In addition, the involvement of cold air in rainfall production combined with autumn typhoons often results in heavy rainfall, with some areas in southern China experiencing unusually intense rainfall, possibly breaking records.
Coastal areas in Guangdong may experience typhoon rain for up to three days. The heaviest rainfall periods are expected in places like Shanwei in eastern Guangdong from the evening of the 23rd to the morning of the 24th, Shenzhen and Zhuhai in the Pearl River Delta from the night of the 23rd to the 24th, and in places like Maoming in western Guangdong from daytime to nighttime on the 24th. In these areas, there may be heavy rain, with locally extremely heavy rain.
Since its formation, Typhoon “Hua Jia Sha” has continuously intensified. During the night of the 21st to the daytime of the 22nd, it reached its peak intensity of 62 meters per second (super typhoon level), becoming the strongest typhoon affecting China this year.
Meteorological experts have emphasized that the impact of the winds brought by “Hua Jia Sha” will be more extreme than the rainfall. Once the typhoon approaches the Guangdong coast, its path is expected to mainly move westward, bringing wind speeds of up to Level 9-10 along the coasts of cities like Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai. Some areas near the center of the typhoon may even experience gusts of up to Level 17.
Guangdong Province has already activated Level I emergency response for wind prevention. Measures such as class suspensions, work stoppages, production halts, transportation suspensions, and business closures are being implemented in more than a dozen cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Shanwei, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Yangjiang, Zhanjiang, Maoming, Zhaoqing, and Yunfu.
On September 23, the city of Haikou in Hainan Province announced the implementation of measures including school closures, flight suspensions, park closures, work stoppages, and business closures.
The Gongbei Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge temporarily suspended exit clearance services starting from 3 p.m. on the 23rd. The main bridge will be closed as well. The HKZM Bridge Authority has implemented temporary traffic restrictions starting from 10 a.m. on the 23rd, prohibiting all vessels from entering the bridge’s navigational channel.
Moreover, the China Meteorological Administration issued an orange rainstorm warning at 6 p.m. on September 23. From 8 p.m. on the 23rd to 8 p.m. on the 24th, there will be heavy to torrential rain in parts of Guangdong, northeast and southern Fujian, southern Zhejiang, and large parts of Jiangsu, affecting train services departing from Chengdu East, Chengdu West, Chengdu South to destinations such as Hong Kong West Kowloon, Shenzhen, Zhanjiang, Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Shanwei, Xi’an, and Shanghai.
Due to the impact of Typhoon “Hua Jia Sha”, Hong Kong and Macau raised their typhoon warning signals to the third-highest Level 8 on September 23.
The Hong Kong Observatory issued a Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 at 2:20 p.m. on the 23rd, predicting further strengthening of the winds. They are considering upgrading to Typhoon Signal No. 9 or higher, indicating severe or hurricane-force winds between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on September 24.
According to the latest forecasts, “Hua Jia Sha” is anticipated to maintain its super typhoon intensity and come closest to the Pearl River Estuary on the morning of the 24th, leading to further strengthening of winds in Hong Kong. Depending on the proximity of “Hua Jia Sha” to Hong Kong and local wind variations, the need for higher tropical cyclone warning signals will be assessed during the late hours of the 23rd to the early hours of the 24th.
The MTR Corporation in Hong Kong announced the cancellation of certain high-speed rail services to and from West Kowloon Station and mainland destinations before 6 p.m. on the 23rd. Following this, all high-speed rail services to and from West Kowloon Station and mainland destinations will be canceled from 6 p.m. on the 23rd until the end of the day on the 24th.
The Airport Authority Hong Kong reported that as of 10:30 a.m. on the 23rd, a total of 382 flights were canceled at Hong Kong International Airport, with 43 flights experiencing delays. Cathay Pacific Airways suspended all flight operations starting from 6 p.m. on the 23rd and is expected to gradually resume operations until daytime on the 25th, resulting in the cancellation of over 500 flights. Hong Kong Express plans to cancel more than a hundred flights.
Hong Kong Disneyland closed after the issuance of the Signal No. 8, while Ocean Park suspended operations starting from 12 p.m. on the 23rd and The Peak Tram service ceased at 2:45 p.m.
Public hospitals in Hong Kong have suspended all non-emergency services starting from the afternoon of the 23rd. Welfare service units, childcare centers, neighborhood support childcare programs, elderly service centers, and daytime rehabilitation service units under the Social Welfare Department in Hong Kong are also closed.
In Macau, all government departments announced that they will close at 5 p.m., with civil servants ceasing work at that time. Only emergency services provided by the police, judiciary police, fire services, customs, and hospitals will be maintained.
All casinos in Macau have temporarily closed and companies have been instructed to evacuate employees and guests within two hours of Signal No. 8 being raised. All primary, secondary, and kindergarten schools in Macau are closed from the 23rd to the 24th, with authorities advising residents to store three days’ worth of food and water.
Macau International Airport is expected to be impacted with approximately 250 flights affected from the 23rd to the 24th. After 4 p.m. on the 23rd, flight operations will significantly decrease, with nearly 150 flights canceled on the 24th. Normal flight operations are estimated to resume gradually by the morning of the 25th.
The Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan lifted the land typhoon warning at 8:30 a.m. and the sea typhoon warning at 8:30 p.m. on September 23.
Even though the typhoon has moved away, warnings for heavy rainfall remain in effect. The Weather Bureau has issued special reports for torrential rain in Kaohsiung City, Pingtung County, Hualien County, and Taitung County; heavy rain in Yilan County; torrential rain in New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Taichung City, and Nantou County; and heavy rain in Keelung City, Taipei City, Hsinchu County, Chiayi County, and Tainan City.
Due to flooded roads affecting transportation, safety concerns have led to the suspension of work and classes in the Taoyuan District of Meishan, Fuxing, and Lavalan on the 24th, while other areas will continue with normal work and school schedules.