Typhoons normal in autumn, say experts as Fung-wong weakens

Typhoon Fung-wong, the 26th tropical storm of the year, made landfall along the coast of Pingtung, Taiwan, at around 7:50 pm on Wednesday. The center of the typhoon packed maximum sustained winds of 23 meters per second, or force 9 on the Beaufort scale, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Authorities warned of strong winds and heavy rainfall as the storm interacts with a cold air mass. From 8 pm Wednesday to 8 pm Thursday, gusts up to force 9 to 10 are expected over areas including the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and coastal areas of Zhejiang province, Fujian province and Taiwan.

Heavy rainfall is also forecast during the same period across southeastern Zhejiang and parts of Taiwan, with downpours of 50 to 80 millimeters expected in northern Taiwan.

Ships and offshore platforms are urged to take precautions and move away from affected waters as the storm continues to weaken and move northeastward, the center said.

The typhoon caused widespread destruction in the Philippines over the weekend. It first struck the Philippines on Sunday as a strong storm, leaving behind severe damage before moving northwest toward the South China Sea.

While typhoons are most common during summer and early autumn, meteorologists said it is not abnormal to see storms forming in November.

"The western Pacific and South China Sea are the only ocean regions in the world where typhoons can form in any month of the year," said Xu Yinglong, a chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Center. "From April to December is generally the active season for landfall," he said.

Typhoons in November are often weaker than those in peak season, but strong ones can still occur if ocean temperatures remain high.

"As the sun's direct rays move southward, tropical waters stay warm, providing abundant energy for typhoon development," he said, adding that strong or even super typhoons can still appear late in the year.

In addition, many questioned online whether Fung-wong should be called a "winter typhoon" since it formed after the solar term Lidong, which marks the beginning of winter.

In response, Xu said meteorologists generally classify storms forming from September to November as autumn typhoons. "Fung-wong is a typical late-autumn typhoon, not a winter one."

Aside from Fung-wong, no new typhoon formations are expected in the western Pacific or South China Sea in the coming days, he added.