Super Typhoon Ba-wei Nears Taipei, Threatening Severe Winds and Rain

Taipei is preparing for the imminent arrival of Super Typhoon Ba-wei, which is projected to significantly impact the city with powerful winds and torrential rain. Mayor Chiang Wan-an convened a typhoon preparedness meeting, receiving updates from the meteorological team indicating the storm's intensifying trend and potential shift towards a northwestward track.

The meteorological team forecasts that Ba-wei's eyewall will directly affect Taipei. The storm is expected to enter the city's storm radius by 8 a.m. on the 10th and remain until 11 p.m. on the 11th. During this period, ground-level wind gusts could reach an alarming 10 to 13 on the Beaufort scale. The heaviest rainfall is anticipated between 8 p.m. on the 10th and 8 p.m. on the 11th, with accumulated rainfall potentially reaching 400 millimeters, classified as "extreme heavy rain."

Forecasters noted that the typhoon's center is expected to pass near Keelung and Pengjia Islet, placing Taipei directly in the path of the eyewall. A sea warning is anticipated by the afternoon of the 9th, followed by a land warning early on the 10th. The storm's large radius means Taipei will be within its influence for an extended period.

Comparing Ba-wei to historical typhoons, the meteorological team highlighted that while Typhoon Aere in 2004 brought level 12 winds to Taipei's plains, Ba-wei is expected to be even more powerful. The forecast indicates intermittent rainfall from the typhoon's outer bands starting Friday afternoon, with hourly rainfall rates increasing significantly. The most intense period of wind and rain is predicted for Friday night through Saturday afternoon, with potential for continuous, short-duration heavy rainfall lasting three to five hours in areas like Yangmingshan and along the Keelung River basin.