Alert ： Typhoon WIPHA Forms, Heavy Rain + Gale Winds to Hit China

Source: OT-Team(G), 中央气象台; 澎湃新闻

The National Meteorological Center of China issued a yellow alert for Typhoon WIPHA at 6:00 a.m. on July 19, as the year's sixth typhoon intensified from a tropical storm to a severe tropical storm earlier this morning.

Typhoon Alert

As of 5:00 a.m., Typhoon WIPHA was located approximately 880 kilometers southeast of Yangjiang City, Guangdong Province, centered at 19.9 degrees north latitude and 120.2 degrees east longitude. The storm is currently packing maximum sustained winds of up to 10 on the Beaufort scale (25 meters per second) with a central pressure of 985 hPa. The radius of its gale-force winds (level 7 and above) spans 260 to 350 kilometers.

WIPHA is forecast to move northwestward at a speed of 15 to 20 kilometers per hour, gradually intensifying as it enters the northeastern South China Sea. It is expected to approach the coastal areas between Shenzhen, Guangdong and Wenchang, Hainan, making landfall between the afternoon and night of July 20. Upon landfall, wind speeds are projected to reach levels 12 to 14 (33–42 meters per second), classifying it as a typhoon or strong typhoon.

Wind Forecast

From 8:00 a.m. on July 19 to 8:00 a.m. on July 20, under the combined influence of Typhoon WIPHA and the southwest monsoon, most areas of the South China Sea, the Bashi Channel, the Taiwan Strait, waters east of Taiwan, the southern East China Sea, and coastal regions of eastern Guangdong, Fujian, and Taiwan Island will experience winds of 6 to 7 on the Beaufort scale, with gusts reaching 8 to 9.

Winds in the northeastern South China Sea, Bashi Channel, and northern Taiwan Strait may intensify to levels 8 to 10, with gusts of 11 to 12. Areas near the typhoon's center could see winds of 10 to 12 and gusts up to 13 to 14.

Rainfall Forecast

Heavy to torrential rainfall is expected from 8:00 a.m. July 19 to 8:00 a.m. July 20 in southeastern Zhejiang, northeastern and southeastern Fujian, central and southern Guangdong, southeastern Guangxi, most of Hainan Island, and eastern Taiwan Island.

Parts of the Leizhou Peninsula in Guangdong, northern Hainan Island, and eastern Taiwan may experience extremely heavy rainfall ranging from 100 to 230 millimeters. Some regions will also face brief but intense downpours with hourly precipitation reaching 20 to 50 millimeters, potentially exceeding 70 millimeters locally. Severe convective weather, including thunderstorms and strong winds, is also possible.

Safety and Preparedness Guidelines

1.Outdoor events, especially large gatherings and high-altitude operations, should be suspended.

2.Secure or dismantle structures that may be vulnerable to strong winds. Residents should avoid going outside and remain in safe indoor areas. Special care should be taken to ensure the safety of the elderly and children, and people living in unsafe buildings should evacuate promptly.

Important: When the eye of the typhoon passes, wind may temporarily subside—this is not the end of the storm. Strong winds will resume abruptly, so stay sheltered.

Check the mini program below for real-time typhoon tracking.