The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) said in a statement last night that there’s a “relatively high” probability of issuing the No.8 signal between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. today.
The bureau said in the statement that it will consider issuing the No.8 signal between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. today in line with the movement of Severe Tropical Cyclone Talim which Macau’s meteorologists predicted to intensify, with its associated zone of gale force winds to forecast to cover the Pearl River Estuary area for some time.
As long as the No.8 signal is hoisted, public entities such as government offices and banks will remain closed. Customarily, however, Macau’s casinos stay open. The three Macau-Taipa bridges will be closed to vehicular traffic with the exception of the enclosed lower deck of Sai Van Bridge which will open to car traffic.
According to the observatory, Severe Tropical Storm Talim was located at about 270-km south of Macau at 1 a.m. today and moving towards the west coast of Guangdong.
The statement noted that Talim was expected to move in a west -northwest direction.
The observatory forecast Talim to be closest to Macau between today’s wee hours and this morning when it was expected to pass by about 200-km south of the city.
The No.3 typhoon signal, which replaced the No.1 standby signal that had been hoisted on Friday night, was still in effect in Macau at 1 a.m. today, after its hoisting at 5:30 p.m. yesterday, according to the observatory.
The hoisting of the No.3 signal means that under the influence of a tropical cyclone, winds with a sustained speed of 41 to 62 km/h are expected or blowing, while gusts may exceed 110 km/h in Macau.
The bureau issued the Blue Storm Surge warning yesterday afternoon, indicating the probability of flooding occurring in low-lying areas between 5 a.m. and 1 p.m. today.
The Blue Storm Surge warning is the lowest of a five-level warning system. Blue means that the observatory expects the sea water level to rise but to stay below 0.50 metres above road level.
Flooding with the level of between 0.40 and 0.80 metres was expected to occur in the Inner Harbour area between dawn and early morning today and tomorrow, under the joint effect of storm surge and an astronomical tide, the weather station said.
The bureau pointed out in the statement that the probability of issuing a Yellow Storm Surge warning early this morning to be “relatively low”.
“As the winds over the bridges are expected to be strong and gusty, drivers are advised to pay attention to traffic safety,” the weather station said last night, urging motorcyclists to travel between the Macau peninsula and Taipa through the motorcycle lane on Sai Van Bridge.
Moreover, according to Hong Kong’s observatory, as local winds are expected to strengthen further, the No.3 signal was replaced by Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 8 at 12:40 a.m. today. Hong Kong’s observatory said that it expected the No.8 signal to remain hoisted at least until 7 a.m. today.
The No.3 signal had been hoisted in Hong Kong at 5:40 a.m. yesterday.
Talim is expected to be at its closest to Hong Kong this morning, skirting within 300 km south of Hong Kong, the neighbouring city’s observatory noted on its website.
Ferry services to be suspended today depending on weather conditions: DSAMA
Meanwhile, the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) said in a statement yesterday that as Macau’s weather is expected to worsen under the impact of Talim, taking into account public safety, the local shipping companies may need to suspend the operation of this morning’s ferry sailings when Talim is expected to be closest to the city.
According to the statement, late last night Macau’s shipping companies cancelled some midnight ferry services, with the last ferry departing from the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal and Taipa Ferry Terminal in Pac On to Hong Kong at 12 a.m. today and 11:30 p.m. yesterday respectively.
In the statement, passengers are urged to enquire about specific schedules and ticketing arrangements from the respective ferry companies.
Meanwhile, due to the impact brought about by Talim, Air Macau yesterday afternoon announced in a statement the cancellation of 14 flights to and from places including Beijing, Bangkok, Hanoi, Kaohsiung, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei between yesterday and today.
Meanwhile, the “Golden Bus” operator announced last last night that due to Typhoon Talim its services across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) have been suspended until further notice.
