Typhoon Qiangpi Holds Super Typhoon Strength for Over 100 Hours

What changed

Typhoon Qiangpi has held super typhoon strength for more than 100 hours, with maximum winds of 55 metres per second recorded at 05:00 on 22 October. It is forecast to weaken while moving northwest toward Taiwan, then turn north and northeast toward Zhejiang and Japan’s southwest coast.

Why it matters

The storm’s track puts Taiwan and China’s east coast in the weather system’s path. Taiwan’s north and east could see torrential rain, with local totals in the northeast reaching 250–300 millimetres. Strong winds are expected across the Taiwan Strait, the waters east of Taiwan and the Bashi Channel.

From 23 October into the weekend, heavy rain is expected to spread across Fujian, Zhejiang, Shanghai and Jiangsu, alongside strong coastal winds. The Central Meteorological Observatory has kept its blue typhoon warning in place.

The outlook is likely to become clearer as cold air and Taiwan’s terrain weaken the storm. Qiangpi may pass close to northeastern Taiwan, but its exact track will determine how severe conditions become along the coast. After approaching Japan’s southwest coast, it is expected to become an extratropical cyclone.