Typhoon Bavi brings heavy rain to Taiwan, peak impact expected during the day

Typhoon Bavi made landfall in northeastern Taiwan early on July 11, bringing heavy rain and strong winds that are expected to significantly impact the island throughout the day. The storm's eye was located east of Ishigaki Island, moving northwest, with its wind field entering northeastern landmass.

Meteorologist Wu Sheng-yu explained that the typhoon's main rain band is currently over Taiwan, a characteristic of storms with long-lasting rain bands that intensify due to terrain interaction. This is leading to persistent rainfall, particularly in the windward areas of central and northern Taiwan, as well as in the northeastern mountains and plains. While the convection on the western side of the typhoon is less vigorous than on the eastern and southern sides, cumulative rainfall is steadily increasing.

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The main rain band within the typhoon's circulation has also arrived over Taiwan. Usually, the main rain band of such typhoons has a very long life cycle. Combined with terrain interaction, the rainfall on land becomes very persistent, especially in the windward areas of the central and northern parts, and the mountainous and plain areas of the northeast. The rainfall is continuously accumulating.

As of early July 11, accumulated rainfall exceeded 272.5 mm in Yilan's Taiping Mountain area, with other mountainous regions in Taichung, Hsinchu, and Taoyuan also recording over 200 mm. Wind gusts reached 8 to 9 on the Beaufort scale in western Taiwan, Yilan, Penghu, and Matsu, with some areas exceeding 10, and Hengchun Peninsula experiencing gusts up to 12. The Taipei metropolitan area is also seeing gusts of 7 to 9.

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The wind and rain will continue or even strengthen in the windward areas. The significant orographic lift will further increase the rainfall in the mountainous areas of central and northern Taiwan, with expectations of heavy torrential rain or localized extremely torrential rain, and even a chance of localized heavy rain in the mountainous areas of southern Kaohsiung and Pingtung.

Forecasters anticipate that as the typhoon's center moves east of Taipei on July 11, winds will shift to a northwesterly direction. This will enhance the "orographic lift" effect with the Snow Mountain range, intensifying rainfall in central and northern mountainous areas, potentially leading to torrential or extremely torrential rain. Southern mountainous areas in Kaohsiung and Pingtung could also experience localized heavy rain.

In the afternoon, as the typhoon moves further north, southern Taiwan and the Hengchun Peninsula will gradually experience southwesterly winds, bringing intermittent rain. Taitung may see increased wind and rain due to the "return south wind." By nightfall, as Bavi approaches Zhejiang province on the mainland, winds around Taiwan will generally shift to southwesterly. The storm is expected to weaken, and the land warning for Taiwan may be lifted by early July 12. However, winds and rain on outlying islands will persist longer, possibly until the early morning of July 12. Following the typhoon, residual southwesterly winds may still bring scattered showers, and the weather is expected to remain unstable.

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Daytime today (11th) will be the most significant impact period for Typhoon Bavi. We remind everyone to avoid going out and to pay close attention to the latest typhoon updates.