Blue alert issued for Fengshen, 24th typhoon of the year

China's National Meteorological Center issued a blue alert for Typhoon Fengshen on Monday morning, as the 24th typhoon of the year continues to strengthen over the South China Sea. As of 5 am, the storm's center was located approximately 520 kilometers east of Sansha city, Hainan province.

Fengshen is currently classified as a tropical storm, with maximum sustained winds of 23 meters per second and its wind field extends 220 to 280 kilometers from the center. It is expected to move northwest at a speed of 20 to 25 kilometers per hour, gradually intensifying to a severe tropical storm or even a typhoon, with wind speeds reaching 30 to 35 meters per second.

By Tuesday, the storm is predicted to turn southwestward due to a cold front, heading towards the central coast of Vietnam and weakening as it approaches.

Over the next three days, Fengshen will bring heavy rain and strong winds to eastern and northern Taiwan, the coastal areas of Fujian province and Guangdong province, Hainan Island, and the northern part of the South China Sea.

From 8 am Monday to 8 am Tuesday, northern Taiwan is expected to experience heavy to torrential rain, with some areas receiving 100 to 200 millimeters of rainfall, according to the center.

Meanwhile, a cold front will continue to affect central and eastern China, causing temperatures to drop by 4 to 6 C in these regions, as well as parts of Guizhou province and Yunnan province. Some areas might see a temperature drop of up to 8 C, with the "0 C line" pushing southward to central North China.

Due to the combined effects of the cold front and Typhoon Fengshen, from 8 am Monday to 8 am Tuesday, the southern East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and northern and central South China Sea are forecast to experience winds of up to 28.4 m/s, with gusts of 36.9 m/s, the center said, issuing a yellow alert for strong winds.