As of 1pm on August 18, the storm, the fourth to have entered the East Sea this year, was located at 20.4 degrees north latitude and 116 degrees east longitude, 570 kilometres northeast of Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands.
Maximum wind speeds near the eye of the storm were estimated at 60-75 kilometres per hour with gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour.
It is forecast that over the next 24 hours, Higos will keep moving west-northwest at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour and possibly gather more strength. As of 1pm on August 19, the storm will be on the waters south of China’s Guangdong Province, sustaining winds of up to 90 kilometres per hour.
The danger zone in the East Sea will be 18.5 degrees north latitude and 110 degrees east longitude. All boats operating in the danger zone are at high risk of being affected by gusts and tornadoes.
In the 24 hours after that, Higos will continue to move on the same path at a speed of about 20 kilometres per hour, making landfall south of China’s Guangdong-Guangxi Provinces, and weakening into a tropical depression.
As of 1pm on August 20, the tropical depression will be centred 22.8 degrees north latitude and 107 degrees east longitude, in the mainland south of Guangxi Province, with the strongest winds near its eye falling to 40-50 kilometres per hour.
In the following 24 hours, the tropical depression will move westward at a speed of 15-20 kilometres per hour and weaken into a low pressure system with disaster risk at level 3.
