Mekkhala likely to near Taiwan on Thursday: CWA - Taipei Times

Staff writer, with CNA

Typhoon Mekkhala is likely to come closest to Taiwan on Thursday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA), which forecast localized rain or thundershowers in western and northeastern parts of the country for that day.As of 2pm yesterday, the eye of the storm was 770km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost point of Taiwan, as it continued to move toward waters east of the Philippines, the agency said.Mekkhala was expected to become a severe typhoon last night, CWA forecaster Lai Hsin-kuo (賴欣國) said.

A weather graphic depicts Typhoon Mekkhala southeast of Taiwan yesterday.

Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration

A severe typhoon has maximum wind speeds of more than 184kph, compared with 118kph to 183kph for a moderate typhoon, according to the agency.After Mekkhala comes closest to Taiwan on Thursday, it is expected to move northeasterly toward Japan and weaken, Lai said.