A week after back-to-back storms brought Hong Kong to a standstill, another tropical cyclone is expected to hit the city on Sunday.
Update: Tropical Cyclone Mawar closes in on Hong Kong, with wet weather set to continue into next week
As of 8am on Friday, Tropical Depression Mawar was centred about 230 kilometres southeast of Dongsha. The Hong Kong Observatory has said that the storm will take a more northerly track towards the eastern coast of Guangdong, moving slowly at first.
The Observatory said that it will consider issuing the Standby Signal No.1 on Friday when it becomes clear that Mawar is edging into the coast of Guangdong.
Mawar is expected to be closest to Hong Kong on Sunday, bringing cloudy weather with heavy squally showers and thunderstorms.
On Sunday, the Observatory predicts that Tropical Depression Mawar will be upgraded to a Severe Tropical Storm, with maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometres per hour.
Typhoon Hato triggered a No.10 Hurricane Signal in Hong Kong last Wednesday. It was the strongest storm to hit the city since 2012. Hato also brought about massive destruction in neighbouring Macau, leaving ten dead.
See also: In Pictures: Oil spill and two consecutive storms leave Hong Kong’s beaches strewn with debris
Just days later, the Hong Kong Observatory raised the T8 storm signal as Tropical Cyclone Pakhar moved into the vicinity, affecting around 300 flights.
The weather forecast for Friday is sunny with haze and a few showers. It will be hot during the day, with isolated thunderstorms expected for the evening.
Progressively worsening conditions are forecast for the weekend, including heavy showers and cloudy weather.
