Chinese forecasters issued a warning on Saturday about the impending arrival of Tropical Storm Khanun, which is expected to rapidly intensify into a typhoon and make landfall on China’s densely populated coast sometime next week.
Currently located over 1,000 km (620 miles) east of the Philippine archipelago in the Pacific, Typhoon Khanun may hit China’s economically vital Zhejiang province as early as Tuesday, according to Chinese forecasters.
Typhoons, commonly known as hurricanes in East Asia, are frequent occurrences in China and often pose a threat to major cities. With approximately 150 Chinese cities experiencing flooding each year due to inadequate drainage systems, the storms disrupt local economies and can even result in loss of life.
The Western Pacific is entering its peak typhoon season in August and September, and scientists warn that storms may become more frequent and violent due to global warming. If Typhoon Khanun strikes, it will be the third typhoon to hit China following the powerful Doksuri last Friday and Talim just a week earlier.
Global average sea surface temperatures reached 21 degrees Celsius (69.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in late March and remained at record levels for April and May. Unusually high surface ocean temperatures have been observed, such as in the Florida Keys last week.
Land temperatures have also shattered records this year, with heatwaves impacting various parts of the Northern Hemisphere, from Canada and the United States to the Mediterranean, India, and China. Earlier in July, a remote township in northwest China experienced a temperature of 52.2 degrees Celsius, setting a new record for the country.
