Typhoon Champi forecast to weaken after Taiwan closures
Taiwan is assessing the next phase of Typhoon Champi after widespread precautionary measures on Friday, 23 October, while the latest official forecast showed the storm moving north-north-east and gradually weakening.
At 2am local time on 24 October, the centre of Champi was at 24.3 degrees north and 122.2 degrees east. Maximum sustained winds near the centre were 43 metres a second, with gusts of up to 53 metres a second. The storm’s average radius for seven-level winds was 320 kilometres, though that measure does not mean every place within the radius experienced identical conditions.
Closures and travel disruption on 23 October
A land typhoon warning had been issued at 11.30am local time on 22 October. On the following day, the Tourism Administration said all visitor attractions managed by the national scenic-area administrations were closed while the warning remained in force. It also postponed several scheduled tourism events, including activities planned for 24 and 25 October.
New Taipei City suspended work and school on 23 October after the city government considered the latest weather forecast alongside a joint decision involving the neighbouring Taipei, Keelung and Taoyuan authorities. The measure was a local government decision, rather than evidence that every workplace and school across Taiwan was subject to the same arrangement.
Air travel was also heavily affected. The transport ministry said all 262 domestic flights scheduled for Friday had been cancelled, along with 669 international flights. Those figures describe disruption reported for 23 October and should not be treated as a forecast for subsequent days. Passengers with later travel plans need to rely on the status issued for their individual service.
Forecast points to a northward track
The 24 October forecast projected a north-north-east movement at 23 kilometres an hour over the next six hours. By 8am local time, the centre was expected near 25.4 degrees north and 122.7 degrees east, with maximum sustained winds falling to 40 metres a second. The next forecast point, for 2pm, put the centre near 26.4 degrees north and 123.0 degrees east, with winds of 35 metres a second.
Further weakening was projected as Champi moved away from Taiwan. The forecast for 8pm put maximum sustained winds at 33 metres a second, falling to 30 metres a second by 2am on 25 October. The seven-level wind radius was projected to contract from 300 kilometres at 8am to 200 kilometres by early Sunday.
Forecast positions and wind speeds are estimates, not a record of what will occur at every location. The weather agency’s probability radius represents the range of likely track error and is separate from the storm’s wind radius. Local wind, rain and coastal conditions can differ significantly because of terrain and the storm’s structure.
Advice remains specific to local conditions
During the warning period, the Tourism Administration urged people to avoid mountain and coastal attractions, as well as activities such as watching waves, sea fishing and swimming. The closures of its managed sites were precautionary, reflecting the risk from strong gusts and heavy rain rather than a finding that the same hazard was present everywhere.
The immediate operational picture is therefore mixed. Friday’s closures and flight cancellations were confirmed actions taken as Champi approached, while Saturday’s published track pointed towards a weakening storm moving north-north-east. Further decisions on transport, schools, workplaces and visitor sites depend on conditions and the local authorities responsible for each area.
