Typhoon Kong-rey expected to make landfall in Zhejiang, Fujian on Thursday

Typhoon Kong-rey, the 21st typhoon of this year, is expected to make landfall along the eastern coast of Taiwan between noon and evening on Thursday and will gradually shift northeast towards the coastal areas of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, where it may weaken but still pose a risk of grazing the coast, the China Meteorological Administration said on Tuesday.

Dai Kan, deputy director of the National Meteorological Center, said Typhoon Kong-rey formed in the Northwest Pacific on Friday. By Tuesday afternoon, its center was located approximately 780 kilometers southeast of Taidong, Taiwan with maximum winds of 13 levels near the center.

Influenced by cold air, areas near the typhoon's center could see wind speeds of 13 to 17 levels in the following days, with gusts exceeding 17 levels. From Wednesday to Friday, heavy to torrential rain is anticipated in Taiwan, eastern and northern Fujian, Zhejiang, Shanghai and southern Jiangsu province, the administration said.

CMA statistics show that no typhoons have made landfall or grazed the coasts of Fujian and Zhejiang after Oct 25 since 1949.

"Residents in these areas should closely monitor the typhoon's trajectory and take precautions against wind and rain," Dai said.

In addition, Typhoon Trami, along with cold air, have brought strong winds and heavy rain in the coastal areas of Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Hainan provinces starting Monday, the administration said.

This month, temperatures in most areas in China have remained close to or above average, with significant fluctuations between warm and cold conditions, said Jia Xiaolong, deputy director of the National Climate Center.

"There have been two major rainfalls, alleviating drought conditions in the Sichuan province and Chongqing, as well as areas along the Yangtze River," Jia said.

The national average temperature was 11.8 C in October, 0.9 C higher than that in a normal year, while five cold air events affected the country, he added.

From Sep 29 to Oct 3, a cold wave brought temperature drops of 8 to 14 C in central and eastern areas, causing frost and snow damage in parts of Inner Mongolia autonomous region and northern Gansu province.

The average national rainfall reached 35 millimeters, a 6.3 percent above the usual level for the same period of the year. "Some weather stations reported daily rainfall that broke historical records for October," Jia said.

In the coming 10 days, China is expected to experience wind and rain from Typhoon Kong-rey and another round of strong cold air. From Nov 3 to 5, strong cold air will move from the north to the south, bringing winds and cooling temperatures, he added.