On October 24, 2023, the China Meteorological Administration reported that Typhoon “Tammy,” the 20th typhoon of the year, made landfall around 1 AM local time on the northeastern coast of Luzon in the Philippines. Upon landfall, it possessed maximum sustained winds of 10 levels (25 meters per second), categorizing it as a strong tropical storm. Forecasters anticipate that “Tammy” will move toward the South China Sea, bringing heavy winds and rain to China’s southern coastal areas.
By 8 AM on the same day, “Tammy” had weakened from a strong tropical storm to a tropical storm. The Central Meteorological Station projects that “Tammy” will continue moving westward at a speed of 10 to 15 kilometers per hour. It is expected to enter the eastern part of the South China Sea by the night of October 24, with a gradual increase in intensity, potentially reaching strong tropical storm or typhoon levels (28 to 33 meters per second). By October 28, it is forecasted to shift eastward while gradually weakening.
Simultaneously, a weak cold front is set to affect much of China starting on October 25. As a result of the combined influence of Typhoon “Tammy” and the cold air, strong winds are expected along the southeast coast of China from 2 PM on October 24 to 2 PM on October 25.
Fang Chong, the chief forecaster at the Central Meteorological Station, explained that the low-altitude circulation on the north side of “Tammy” has produced a shift from southeast to northeast winds, leading to significant rainfall along the coast of Zhejiang from the night of October 25 to the early morning of October 26. As “Tammy” approaches, rainfall in Hainan is expected to intensify from October 26 to October 28.
The areas expected to experience heavy to torrential rain from October 24 to 28 include southern Jiangsu, Shanghai, southeastern Anhui, northern and eastern Zhejiang, northeastern Fujian, Taiwan, southwestern Guangdong, southeastern Guangxi, Hainan, and Sansha. Some regions, particularly in eastern Zhejiang, eastern Taiwan, Hainan, and Sansha, may even see extreme rainfall.
Fang also indicated that from October 25 to 28, many regions of China will experience a weak precipitation and cold air event, resulting in temperature drops of 3°C to 6°C across most areas, with localized drops potentially reaching 8°C. The eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau may experience light to moderate snow or sleet, with some areas facing heavy snowfall.
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