The No. 8 Northwest Gale or Storm Signal is currently in effect. The Hong Kong Observatory stated that at 5 p.m. today (Sept. 23), Super Typhoon Ragasa was located about 320 kilometers southeast of HK, near latitude 20.6 degrees north and longitude 116.7 degrees east. It is expected to move northwest at about 22 kilometers per hour, approaching the Zhujiang Estuary and the western Guangdong coast.
According to current forecasts, Ragasa will be closest to the Zhujiang Estuary tomorrow morning (Sept. 24), with wind strength in HK further increasing. The Observatory will assess whether it is necessary to issue a higher tropical cyclone warning signal between 11 p.m. tonight and 3 a.m. tomorrow, depending on the distance of Ragasa from HK and changes in local wind strength.
The Observatory indicated that Ragasa has a wide circulation and strong winds, with its outer rainbands gradually approaching the Zhujiang Estuary. Strong winds have already started to blow in higher areas of HK.
It is expected that the weather in HK will deteriorate rapidly this evening, with wind strength rising quickly. Tomorrow's weather will remain severe, with strong to storm-force winds. Initially, offshore and elevated areas may experience hurricane-level winds, along with frequent gales, heavy showers, and thunderstorms. There will be extremely large waves and surges at sea, with overtopping waves particularly notable along the eastern and southern coasts.
Due to significant storm surges, water levels along the HK coast may rise by about 2 meters tomorrow, expected to start rising after 6 a.m., reaching their peak later in the morning to early afternoon. Generally, levels may reach about 3.5 to 4 meters above chart datum, with water levels in Tolo Harbour potentially exceeding 4 to 5 meters above chart datum. Citizens are advised to take appropriate precautions.
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