A Storm Approaches

Update Friday 10 August 6:15pm - what a crazy storm this one has turned out to be, it has made another 90 degree turn, it just can't tear itself away from us ! : AT 6 P.M. TROPICAL STORM PABUK WAS CENTRED ABOUT 50 KILOMETRES WEST-NORTHWEST OF THE HONG KONG OBSERVATORY (NEAR 22.5 DEGREES NORTH 113.7 DEGREES EAST) AND IS FORECAST TO MOVE NORTHWEST AT ABOUT 8 KILOMETRES PER HOUR ENTERING GUANGDONG. IN THE PAST HOUR, TROPICAL STORM PABUK TURNED ABRUPTLY BY AROUND 90 DEGREES. IT IS APPROACHING THE WESTERN COAST OF THE PEARL RIVER ESTUARY. GALE FORCE WINDS ARE STILL AFFECTING THE WATERS SOUTH OF HONG KONG. THE RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH PABUK CONTINUE TO BRING HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLS TO PART OF THE TERRITORY.

Update Friday 10 August 2:30pm - blimey, after passing just below us yesterday, the damn thing disintegrated into a trough of low pressure, sat out at sea gathering strength, turned a full 180 degrees and is speeding directly towards us having intensified again into a tropical cyclone. The No. 8 signal has just been raised (2:30pm) and everyone has gone home. But I have a teleconference starting at 4:30pm, on 2008 budgets, so I have to wait. Let's hope I can get a taxi home afterwards!

After clipping the southern-most tip of Taiwan, our first storm of the year is inching towards us and is anticipated to be here overnight. Right now, Pabuk doesn't look to be too much of a serious threat and it is still classified as a severe tropical storm, not yet a typhoon, although that can change at short notice. Plus its present track will give us a direct hit.

I'm sitting here hoping the rain doesn't start too soon, as I left some windows open at home to air out my apartment after it was closed up for five days.

We could be in for a bit of a blow overnight, but the 'no work' signal (8 or higher) will possibly be down by the time we're to be at work tomorrow.

Update : Thursday morning dawned grey, wet and windy but only the No. 3 signal is up. Pabuk fizzled out as it rolled along the coast last night and disintegrated into a tropical depression as it passed underneath us a couple of hours ago. The other storm out there is now Taiwan-bound.