Typhoon White Dolphin Maintains Strength, Shows Westward Path Trend; Taiwan Warned of Long Waves

Typhoon White Dolphin, currently located approximately 4,200 kilometers from Taiwan, is maintaining its powerful typhoon status and continuing its northwestward trajectory. While the storm is not expected to directly impact Taiwan in the immediate future, meteorologists are closely monitoring a recent trend of its path shifting westward. Weather enthusiasts on the "Taiwan Typhoon Forum | Weather Express" Facebook page noted that the surrounding environment remains favorable for White Dolphin over the next one to two days, allowing it to sustain its peak intensity. However, they cautioned that as the typhoon moves over cooler waters and encounters increased wind shear, its strength is expected to gradually decrease, although its wind field might expand. The forum highlighted that while the initial path is relatively clear, uncertainty increases later in the week as the typhoon approaches the waters near Okinawa, Japan. Different weather models show diverging predictions depending on the strength of the high-pressure system in the region. If the high-pressure system remains strong, White Dolphin could continue westward, passing north of Taiwan and heading towards eastern China. Conversely, a weakening or a gap in the high-pressure system could cause the typhoon to turn northward towards South Korea or Japan's Kyushu region. Despite the low probability of a direct landfall, the potential westward shift warrants attention. Authorities are advising residents in northern and eastern coastal areas of Taiwan to be aware of gradually increasing long waves starting next Wednesday, urging caution for sea and beach activities. For Japan, potential impacts are estimated around next Friday, with Okinawa and Kyushu being the most closely watched areas.

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The probability of a direct hit on Taiwan remains low, but the recent path does show a westward trend, which still needs to be observed.