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Olga Wong

Wynna Wong

Danny Mok

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing.
Hong Kong is bracing for another typhoon next week, while Tropical Storm Toraji weakened after causing an 11-hour No 8 warning signal.
Severe Tropical Storm Man-yi over the western North Pacific may enter the central and northern parts of the South China Sea early next week.
“A strong northeast monsoon is expected to reach the coast of southern China early next week. The weather will be appreciably cooler with a few rain patches over the region midweek next week,” the forecaster said on Thursday.
Man-yi, a name that refers to Hong Kong’s High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung, is currently positioned in the northwest Pacific near the east of the Philippines and moving northwest while intensifying gradually.
The storm was expected to strengthen into a severe typhoon by Saturday and hit Luzon in the Philippines before entering within 800km of Hong Kong by Monday.
It will pass as close as about 400km to the south of the city on Monday night.
The forecaster lowered the No 8 signal for Toraji to No 3 at 10.20am and to No 1 at 10.20pm on Thursday, which was cancelled at 1.20am on Friday.
It said the weather on Friday would remain “mainly cloudy with a few showers” before sunny intervals were expected over the weekend.
Toraji, which means “beautiful flower that blooms unnoticed” in Korean, will continue to weaken, with the Observatory saying it will cancel the No 1 signal when the storm no longer poses a threat to the city.
The timing of Toraji made it the latest such warning on record. It surpassed Typhoon Pamela, for which a No 8 signal was issued on November 8, 1972.
It is also one of four storms to emerge simultaneously in the western North Pacific and South China Sea in November for the first time since records began.
According to the forecast, Severe Typhoon Usagi east of the Philippines will move in the general direction of the vicinity of the Luzon Strait on Thursday and Friday. Its subsequent movement is uncertain with a higher chance of moving towards the seas east of Taiwan.
Usagi is named after the Japanese word for the Lepus constellation.
Bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing carried on business as usual on Thursday morning, the first time it did so during a storm since a new mechanism allowing trading amid typhoons and torrential rains came into force on September 23.

Authorities received 13 reports of fallen trees as of 10am on Thursday, with no landslides or floods. A woman was injured during the typhoon and received treatment at a public hospital, according to the Hospital Authority.
Chris Au Young, the Airport Authority’s general manager of terminal and passenger experience, said operations were expected to be largely normal for the rest of the day.
“According to the Civil Aviation Department’s assessment, runway operations today are expected to be normal,” he said, but urged tourists to confirm with their airlines before heading to the airport.
“We expect the airport will handle a total of 1,063 flights throughout the day today.”
The in-town check-in service was adjusted to close 120 minutes before scheduled flight departure times, with the frequency of trains increased, according to the MTR Corporation.


Au Young said 10 flights were cancelled and 20 were delayed after the No 8 typhoon signal was issued at 11.10pm on Wednesday.
Star Ferry services between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central and Wan Chai resumed at noon, while those serving between Discovery Bay and Central operated normally from 10.40am.
Some residents, however, took to social media to express their displeasure at the Observatory for lowering the No 8 signal at 10:20am.
“Is it so difficult to leave the warning on for half a day more?” an internet user said social media, drawing 35 likes.
But some residents expressed understanding over the forecaster’s decision, noting that the wind was not very strong and people were already given a half-day off.
On Wednesday evening, Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways announced that it was closely monitoring the potential impact of Toraji.




“While our flights aren’t currently affected, this may change as the situation develops,” a spokesman for the airline said.
Its low-cost subsidiary HK Express also said all of its flights were operating as usual.
The MTR Corp continued to operate services at limited frequencies of 10 to 20 minutes during the typhoon. But they gradually returned to normal after the Observatory indicated it would lower the storm signal.
The MTR bus services resumed after the No 3 signal was issued.
Hong Kong’s two major bus companies, KMB and Citybus, temporarily suspended service overnight, with only a few routes – S1, B3X, B7, B1, B9, S64, S64C, S64P and S64X – running during daytime before full service gradually resumed starting 10.20am.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club cancelled three races at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.


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Hong Kong weather

Storm Toraji: Hong Kong braces for another typhoon next week, after 11-hour T8 warning

High winds at the Heng Fa Chuen Promenade under the No 8 typhoon signal. Photo: Sun Yeung

People take pictures at Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade under the No 8 signal. Photo: May Tse

Tropical Storm Toraji: Hong Kong issues T8 typhoon warning signal

The forecaster says winds will strengthen later in the day. Photo: Nora Tam

Toraji is expected to skirt within around 150km to the south of Hong Kong on Thursday. Photo: Nora Tam

Storm Toraji: Hong Kong may raise T3 typhoon signal on Wednesday afternoon

The Hong Kong Observatory will keep T1 in force until midnight on Wednesday. Photo: Nora Tam

News

Hong Kong

Weather

Observatory lowers typhoon warning signal to No 1 at 10.20pm, with weather on Friday set to be ‘mainly cloudy with a few showers’


Observatory lowers typhoon warning signal to No 1 at 10.20pm, with weather on Friday set to be ‘mainly cloudy with a few showers’.


South China Sea

Extreme weather

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong Jockey Club