The No 1 storm warning signal will remain in force for most of the day, according to Hong Kong's weather forecaster, as Typhoon Podul is expected to come closest to the city on Thursday morning.

The observatory issued the Standby Signal No 1 at 8.40am on Wednesday and said it would assess the need to upgrade the alert to a No 3 warning later in the evening or early on Thursday.

It said Podul would maintain a distance of about 400 kilometres or more from Hong Kong and warned that the typhoon would bring very hot weather to the territory ahead of heavy downpours.

"Under the influence of the outer subsiding air of Podul, it will be extremely hot over parts of the territory [on Wednesday afternoon]. Temperatures can rise to 35 degrees Celsius or above," senior scientific officer Lee Shuk-ming said.

"Podul will be closest to Hong Kong [on Thursday morning]. Under the influence of its rainbands, there will be heavy squally showers and thunderstorms over the territory [on Thursday]."

The storm is edging closer to southern Fujian and eastern Guangdong after making landfall in Taitung County in Taiwan on Wednesday.
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Last updated: 2025-08-13 HKT 15:58