The Hong Kong Observatory said it will consider issuing the number eight gale or storm signal at or before 7:10pm on Friday as Severe Tropical Storm Chaba edged closer to the city.

It would be the first number eight signal in 2022.

At 5pm, Chaba was about 370 kilometres south-southwest of Hong Kong and was forecast to move northwest at about 16 kilometres an hour towards western Guangdong.

The Observatory said Chaba continued to track northwest in the past few hours and could intensify further. It's expected to be closest to the city on Friday evening and Saturday morning, skirting about 300 kilometres to the southwest.