Yagi Super Typhoon Tracker: China braces for biggest storm in a decade with school closures and flight cancellations

Typhoon Yagi is expected to strengthen into a super typhoon as it moves toward China, potentially making it the strongest typhoon to hit the country in nearly a decade.

With sustained winds of up to 209 km/h (130 mph) near the eye, Yagi is the world’s second-strongest tropical cyclone on record as of 2024, behind only Category 5 Atlantic Hurricane Beryl.

The epicenter was about 400 kilometers southeast of Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province, on Thursday evening, and was moving westward at 10 to 15 kilometers per hour.

The storm is expected to have its biggest impact on Guangdong and Hainan, with landfall expected between Qionghai and Dianbai on Friday, but heavy rain is also expected in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.

Major cities including Hong Kong, Macau and Guangzhou are bracing for floods and transport disruptions.

Here’s Super Typhoon Yagi’s path and forecast for the next few days:

Hong Kong will suspend all schools tomorrow as Super Typhoon Yagi approaches, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.

The education office announced Thursday that the suspension affects all day schools, including kindergartens, elementary schools, middle schools and special education schools.

The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) issued Typhoon Alert No. 8, Level 3 on the five-level typhoon warning system, at 6 p.m. (local time) on Thursday, and is expected to remain in effect until at least noon on Friday.

Thursday evening classes have also been canceled as a precaution.

Super Typhoon Yagi is expected to pass 300km southwest of Hong Kong on Friday morning. The current Warning 3 has been in effect since last night.

Dozens of flights were also canceled.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called for urgent action as Super Typhoon Yagi approaches, which is expected to affect northern and central Vietnam.

The typhoon, which strengthened as it moved toward China’s Hainan province on Thursday, is expected to bring dangerous winds and heavy rain to coastal and inland areas of Laos, Vietnam and Thailand in the coming days.

According to Vietnam Plus, the Vietnamese Prime Minister has issued instructions to leaders of provinces and cities, including major areas such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh, urging them to prepare for the storm and prioritize public safety.

The storm is expected to affect Vietnam’s Gulf of Tonkin on Friday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain as it makes landfall in China, with the risk of flooding and landslides.

According to the report, local authorities have been instructed to postpone non-essential meetings, focus on securing vulnerable populations and protect critical infrastructure such as levees, dams and transport networks.

All efforts are being made to ensure the safety of coastal areas and ships at sea, and to prevent urban flooding and damage to agricultural production.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha was tasked with overseeing response efforts and ensuring prompt action to minimize the storm’s impact on life and property.

Super Typhoon Yagi is currently moving north of the South China Sea, heading west-northwest towards the area between Guangdong and Hainan islands, prompting an upward revision of the alert level in Macau.

Yagi is expected to pass 300 kilometers south of Macau tomorrow, bringing strong winds and frequent thunderstorms.

According to a government statement, Tropical Depression Alert No. 8 is likely to be issued tonight as the storm is circulating widely.

Hong Kong is also expected to issue a Level 8 alert this evening.

In addition to the typhoon warning, it said minor flooding of up to 0.5 meters is possible in low-lying areas of Macau’s inner harbour, and a blue or yellow storm surge warning may be issued depending on the exact track and intensity of the typhoon.

As Hong Kong braces for super typhoon Yagi, 38 flights were cancelled today, with airport authorities saying they will make arrangements for transporting affected passengers.

According to SCMP, Chapman Fong Shui-man, deputy chief executive of the airport’s operations, said all cancelled flights would be rescheduled on Friday.

The most affected airlines were Cathay Pacific Airways, low-cost carrier Hong Kong Express, Greater Bay Airways and Hong Kong Airlines.

Mr Fong said some bus services to the airport would also be suspended, and MTR train services would be adjusted to fill the gap left by the buses.

Hong Kong is expected to issue its third-strongest typhoon alert, Storm Alert No. 8, at 6:40 p.m. local time, which will force many businesses in the area to close and reduce traffic.

The city’s weather station warned that heavy rain is expected to continue today and tomorrow, with heavy clouds expected to blanket the area.

Typhoon Yagi, known as Enteng in the Philippines, is expected to intensify as it moves westward across the northern South China Sea over the next few days, according to warnings from AccuWeather meteorologists.

The storm, which has already produced significant rainfall, is expected to bring 16 to 30 inches (400 to 760 mm) of rain to areas including southern China, Hainan Island, northern Vietnam, northern Laos and northern Thailand from Friday through Sunday. Rain this heavy could cause severe flooding, landslides and serious transport disruptions.

Wind speeds associated with the storm are also expected to be extreme. Gusts could reach up to 160 mph (260 kmph), with gusts potentially reaching up to 180 mph (290 kmph), according to AccuWeather forecasts. These strong winds pose a risk of significant structural damage, widespread power outages, and major logistics delays. The strongest winds are expected where the storm makes landfall, potentially affecting Leizhou Peninsula or Hainan Island.