Typhoon signal no. 1 is now in force in Macao, as severe tropical storm Toraji edges closer to the territory.
At 8 am, Toraji was estimated to be about 670 kilometres southeast of Macao and is forecast to move northwest, crossing the northern part of the South China Sea.
According to the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (called SMG after its Portuguese initials), Toraji is expected to pass about 200 kilometres south of Macao at some point between late Wednesday and early Thursday.
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Under the combined influence of the northeast monsoon, winds in Macao are expected to strengthen, the SMG says, adding that there is a “medium to relatively high possibility” of signal No. 3 being hoisted.
The possibility of issuing higher tropical cyclone signals has not been ruled out, given that the intensity and track of Toraji remain uncertain.
The SMG is also warning of elevated tide levels as Toraji nears Macao on Thursday morning (14th), with a low to medium chance of a blue storm surge warning. The warning indicates that low lying areas may see flooding of up to 50 centimetres above road level.
