Storm Podul may move closer to Hong Kong than currently projected: forecaster
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Severe Tropical Storm Podul, predicted to pass within 400km (249 miles) of Hong Kong on Thursday, may skirt the northern part of the city and be closer than currently projected, the weather forecaster has said.
The Hong Kong Observatory said the city was expected to experience heavy downpours and violent storms later this week, as there would be 'obvious changes' over the coming two days.
As of Tuesday morning, Podul, which means 'willow tree' in Korean, was located about 820km east-southeast of Kaohsiung in Taiwan. It was moving west or west-northwest at about 25km/h across the western North Pacific in the general direction of the vicinity of Taiwan.
'It will then edge closer to the vicinity of eastern Guangdong and southern Fujian,' it said.
'However, its landfall location and intensity remain uncertain. Associated heavy showers and squally thunderstorms will affect Guangdong in the middle and latter parts of this week.'
The latest forecasts indicate that Podul is expected to strengthen into a typhoon by Wednesday and move within about 1,000km of Hong Kong.
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