▲ Image courtesy Korea Meteorological Association

Typhoon Halong update: Thursday, Aug 7 at 10 a.m.

Typhoon Halong is heading northeast at a speed of 16 km/h and is now in the seas 420 k.m. southeast of Okinawa, Japan. The maximum wind speed of the typhoon is 43 meters per second with the central pressure at 960 hPa. Strong winds are again spread over a 400 k.m. radius, with the typhoon maintaining its Category 2 status.

The Korea Meteorological Association issued a preliminary special weather report at 4 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 7, on Jeju island. By Thursday afternoon, a high wind and wave warning will be issued for the seas far to the south of Jeju, while by Friday morning, Aug. 8, the warning will be issued across all Jeju seas. The southern Jeju seas should be under a typhoon warning by this time.

Jeju, under the indirect influence of Halong, will likely experience cloudy weather with small showers and precipitation of 5~20 m.m. today (Aug 7), with strong winds expected from tomorrow afternoon (Aug 8). Rough seas seas are also expected along Jeju shores from today, so officials warn visitors and fishermen at beaches to take extreme care for their own safety.

Typhoon Halong update: Wednesday, Aug. 6 at 9 a.m.

The 11th typhoon of the season, Halong, which arose as a depression in the seas west of Guam on July 28, is heading north with a speed of 155 k.m. per hour. It is currently 510 k.m. southeast of Okinawa, Japan.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) reported at 9 a.m. on Aug. 6 that the typhoon, currently Category 2, is heading north with central pressure at 950 hectopascals, maximum wind speeds of 43 meters per second, and strong winds spanning over 400 k.m.

It is expected to continue heading north and hit the Kyushu region of Japan on Friday, Aug. 8, before turning east. Jeju is not expected to come under the direct influence of the typhoon, but high tides will be experienced in the south from Thursday, Aug. 7, with light rain expected over the weekend.

Halong emerged on July 28 as a tropical depression, and then developed into a tropical storm on July 29. It reached typhoon strength on Aug. 1 and became a super typhoon on Aug. 2 with a maximum wind speed of over 70 m/s. It was then downgraded again to typhoon status on Aug. 4.