5th September 2024 – (Hong Kong) The Hong Kong Observatory is poised to upgrade its warning to Gale or Storm Signal No. 8 as Typhoon Yagi, now a super typhoon, is anticipated to skim approximately 300 kilometres southwest of the city tonight through tomorrow morning. Despite the formidable classification, Leung Wing-mo, former assistant director of the Observatory, reassured in an RTHK radio programme this morning that Yagi, although powerful, poses less of a threat compared to the destructive Typhoons Mangkhut of 2018 and Hato of 2017.
Yagi maintains its strength due to unusually warm sea temperatures in the South China Sea and an ample flow of moist air from the Southern Hemisphere, coupled with minimal wind shear at higher altitudes. These conditions are primed to sustain its super typhoon status, with wind speeds exceeding 200 kilometres per hour.
Leung noted that while Yagi is currently 390 kilometers away from Hong Kong, and predicted to approach no closer than 300 kilometres, its potent force remains a significant concern. The slow pace of the typhoon, moving at about 12 kilometres per hour, might make its effects seem prolonged and monotonous to weather enthusiasts, he joked.
Transitioning to tonight and tomorrow morning, winds will veer to the east, intensifying particularly in exposed eastern areas such as Sai Kung, Tai Po, Heng Fa Chuen, and Lei Yue Mun. These regions are expected to bear the brunt of the storm’s force. Despite the distance, the potential impact of Yagi warrants the consideration of the No. 8 signal to ensure safety and security, Leung emphasised.
In response to inquiries about the typhoon’s path, Leung described it as ‘straightforward,’ with few atmospheric conditions influencing a significant change in trajectory. However, this season’s typhoon activity has been atypical, as many storms have veered towards Japan instead of entering the South China Sea, influenced by a retracted high-pressure ridge over the Pacific.
Despite this year’s unusual patterns, Leung highlighted that the Observatory’s forecast of five to eight typhoons entering within 500 kilometres of Hong Kong might still be met as the typhoon season progresses. He advised that these predictions should be taken as guidelines rather than certainties.
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