The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) said in a statement yesterday that a tropical depression that formed in the northeastern South China Sea is expected to move towards China’s Taiwan region, making the issuance of tropical cyclone warning signals in Macau unlikely under the current forecast track.
In an update issued yesterday afternoon, the observatory said the low-pressure area had intensified into a tropical depression and was forecast to move north-eastward over the next two days, generally heading towards Taiwan, noting that the possibility of issuing tropical cyclone warnings in Macau remains relatively low unless the system takes a more northerly path and approaches the coast of Guangdong.
While the tropical depression was unlikely to hit Macau directly, its outer bands could still worsen local weather, the observatory warned. It pointed out that the system’s subsiding airflow will trap intense heat over the city today, driving temperatures to extreme highs.
The observatory also issued an “Orange” Hot Weather Alert yesterday, warning that temperatures in some areas of Macau could reach or exceed 36 degrees Celsius, and advised residents to take precautions against heatstroke, avoid prolonged outdoor activities under direct sunlight and drink plenty of water.
Macau has a two-level hot weather alert system.
“Orange” is the local observatory’s highest hot weather alert. It is issued when weather conditions become more severe, typically when temperatures are forecast to hit 36 degrees Celsius or above, depending on urban heat factors and duration.
While “Orange” warns of “extremely hot” weather, the “Yellow” warning forecasts “very hot” weather, which is issued when the maximum temperature is expected to reach 33 degrees Celsius or above.
In addition, the statement also said that a combination of intense daytime heat and atmospheric instability was expected to trigger convective activity*, increasing the likelihood of thunderstorms during the afternoon.
The weather station urged residents to remain attentive to weather developments and monitor official announcements, as well as to follow its latest weather information, alerts and warning signals as conditions evolve.
*In meteorology, convective activity refers to atmospheric processes driven by vertical motion where warm, moist air rises and cooler air sinks. Convective activity ranges from isolated, brief showers to severe thunderstorms. – DeepSeek
This image released by the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) last night shows the expected track of a tropical depression heading towards China’s Taiwan region and Japan.
